Zeist (AP) - The Dutch national soccer coach Ronald Koeman has confirmed his intention to switch to FC Barcelona.
"Yes, I would like to do that," said Koeman on the campus of the Dutch football association KNVB in Zeist, the television station NOS. "But it won't be final until the signature has been placed. Until then, I can't comment on it, even if I wanted to."
The 57-year-old Koeman is in Zeist to speak to the association about the termination of his contract as national coach. Koeman has an ongoing contract with the KNVB until the end of the European Championship in 2021, but it should contain a clause according to which he can terminate his employment if FC Barcelona wants to sign him. Apparently nobody in the association doubts that Koeman will leave.
The Spanish sports newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" had previously reported that Koeman was about to sign a two-year contract with Barça. On Monday, a delegation from Barcelona in the Netherlands spoke with Koeman and the KNVB, as Barça's general manager Òscar Grau confirmed to the Spanish broadcaster Esport3. An agreement does not seem far away.
Koeman played for FC Barcelona from 1989 to 1995 and was Spanish champion four times with the Catalans and European Cup winner in 1992. The Spanish top club split from their coach Quique Setién after beating FC Bayern 2: 8 in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in Lisbon.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200817-99-204041 / 4
"Mundo Deportivo", Spanish
"Marca", Spanish
le10sport; French
Report NOS (Ndl.)