Gerard Pique names Premier League man as his number-one choice to replace Xavi at Barcelona

Gerard Pique named which manager was his number one choice to replace Xavi as Barcelona boss.

In January, Xavi announced he would step down as Barcelona manager at the end of the campaign, with the Catalan giants having mounted a disappointing title defence this term.

Upon announcing his imminent departure, the Spaniard said he felt “liberation” at walking away from a job that he described as “cruel and unpleasant”.

Barcelona are now among several European giants set to replace their manager at the end of this season, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich also in the market for new coaches.

And Barcelona legend Pique has claimed that his ideal choice as the club’s new manager would either be former coach Pep Guardiola, who is currently at Manchester City, or Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

“To manage Barça you need to be a specific type of coach and to understand the way Barça play, so the options are much less,” Pique told The Times. “The obvious ones are [Pep] Guardiola, because he had his past here, and he is the best coach right now, and [Arsenal’s Mikel] Arteta.

“He would be a good one also. He understands Barcelona and played for Barça in the past.”

Back in January Arteta dismissed reports linking him with the soon-to-be-vacant Barcelona job by insisting he was in the “right place” at Arsenal.

When asked if he was leaving Arsenal in the summer, Arteta replied: "No. That's totally fake news.

"I don't know where it is coming from, it's totally untrue and I'm very upset about it.

Arteta's Arsenal are currently at the Premier League summit (Getty)

"I could not believe it. It has no sources. You have to be cautious when you write things in the way it was yesterday."

He added: "I'm in the right place and I feel good about it. I'm embracing a journey with this club and there's a long way still to go. I have a strong relationship with the board.

"Things come in a natural way. When the time is right we will have those [contract] discussions and find the best way to deal with it.

"I'm cautious when I talk publicly about my personal things. I don't think anyone deserves to hear that in news like that. I have always been straight and said the opposite. I'm so happy where I am now."