Barcelona set deadline for Valverde’s contract extension

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Barcelona have allowed manager Ernesto Valverde until March to take a firm decision regarding his contract extension. The Spaniard's current contract with the Blaugrana is set to expire next summer and he has the option to extend it by one year.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is far from letting Valverde go and thinks that he is the perfect man for the job. While expressing his willingness to work with the manager, he said:

'I would like him to continue, as he is the club coach and I like how he relates to us and to the players.'When we talked we knew that he would succeed, we are very happy with how things are going, and he has always been our first choice.'[March] is the ideal date for us to know what is going on for the next season.'

Ernesto Valverde took over the stewardship at the Nou Camp from Luis Enrique last summer and had a stellar domestic campaign in his debut season. He guided the club to a domestic double as the Catalans won the La Liga and the Copa Del Rey titles.

However, he was placed in the firing line following Barcelona's shock exit at the hands of Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Although Bartomeu and the board might be fans of Valverde's work, the Spanish tactician's future also depends largely upon their Champions League this season.

Barcelona, who last lifted the title in 2015, have been unable to thwart Real Madrid from winning it for the past three years.

The Catalans have started this season on a positive note, maintaining a three-point lead in 4 games over arch-rivals Real Madrid in the league and churning out a convincing 4-0 win in their Champions League opener versus PSV.