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XtraTime Web Desk: Former Barcelona and Netherlands player Ronald Koeman is the frontrunner to take over as the next coach of Barcelona as Quique Setien was axed by the Spanish club on Monday. Koeman is believed to have agreed in principle to become the next Barca manager. Barcelona club officials are in talks with the Netherlands Football Association to release Koeman as he is currently holds the role of the coach of the national team. Barcelona will need to pay compensation to Dutch Football Federation to get him released from Dutch Football Federation.

Setien was sacked in a meeting with technical director Eric Abidal just days after the humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

A Barcelona statement after Setien's dismissal read: "This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days."

The names of ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino along with former Barcelona and France international Laurent Blanc and Barca B head coach Garcia Pimienta were also discussed. But Koeman is said to be the preferred choice of club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, with an announcement expected in the next few days.