Barcelona Eye Brendan Rodgers As Martino`s Replacement

La Liga giants' coach is not expected to return next season and they know Reds' Spanish-speaking manager has only one year left on his deal.

Barcelona are keeping a close eye on contract talks between Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

Kop boss Rodgers has done a remarkable job during his 20 months at Anfield but enters the final year of his three-season deal this summer. But so far the Reds' Boston-based owners have been slow to start talks on a fresh agreement.


Rodgers is relaxed about the lack of action on a new deal, but Liverpool are playing a dangerous game in leaving talks until the season is over.

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino is likely to leave in  the summer and the Spaniards see Rodgers as a front-runner to replace him.

The Irishman, a Spanish speaker, was a candidate to succeed Roberto Mancini at Manchester City before they appointed Manuel Pellegrini.

Rodgers, who takes his high-flying side to arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, insisted on Saturday night that he has no plans to leave Merseyside.

“I am happy here,” he said. “It is an incredible club – I love being the manager here.

”I haven’t got an agent so I don’t have someone pumping stories out there about me not being happy. There will be plenty of time, come the end of the season, to sit down and talk about a new deal.”