Barcelona chiefs met with Mourinho

Barcelona directors Txiki Begiristain and Albert Perrin negotiated with Jose Mourinho last week in Ghana.

Mourinho, who was in Accra commenting on the African Nations Cup, met with the Barca powerbrokers at the hotel he was staying in. Marca says no terms were discussed and that the meeting was held out of politeness.

However, the encounter follows on from Begiristain's meeting in Portugal with Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes.

Holland coach Marco van Basten also remains on Barca's shortlist, while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was mentioned in the Catalan media yesterday.