RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann hints at interest in “beautiful” Barcelona job

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has opened the door on a future move to Barcelona amid interest from Arsenal.

The 32-year-old technocrat only joined Die Roten Bullen in the summer following three years at Hoffenheim but is already been tracked by some of Europe’s top clubs, according to reports.

Could Nagelsmann leave RB Leipzig? Five things to know… 

• Julian Nagelsmann has forged a reputation as one of Europe’s best tacticians.
• At just 32, the highly-coveted coach is already one of the game’s most notable managers.
• After three years at Hoffenheim, in which he guided the club to the Champions League for the first time in their history, he left for RB Leipzig.
• Since rocking up at the Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig have enjoyed a tremendous start to the season, currently sitting second in the Bundesliga.
• Both Arsenal and Barcelona have been linked with the coach, but he is unlikely to leave having only taken the RB Leipzig job earlier this year. 

Arsenal are in search of a new manager following the dismissal of Unai Emery last month, while Barcelona’s head coach Ernesto Valverde will see his present deal expire at the end of the campaign.

The Camp Nou giants are yet to extend the Spaniard’s contract and could wait until the end of the season to make a decision, depending on how Barca fare both domestically, but more importantly, in Europe.

And speculation of a divorce between Barca and Valverde may yet crank up another gear after Nagelsmann outlined his admiration for the “beautiful” club.

“I’ve said many times: Barcelona is a beautiful city, a beautiful club. But they are not the only club that is attractive,” he told ZDF.

Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.

Nagelsmann: I turned down Borussia Dortmund 

Nagelsmann also took time to reflect on Borussia Dortmund’s approach for him, but says the timing wasn’t right for the move and he wanted to honour his Hoffenheim contract.

“It’s true there was interest there,” he said. “In football, timing and fit is always the key, and it just did not fit, so I didn’t go there.

“The time did not fit and BVB did not want to wait. I was at Hoffenheim under contract, there was a clause – I could only leave in 2019.

“When that clause took effect, there was no position free in Dortmund.

“I had very good talks with Leipzig. I felt that the club really wanted me.”