The Japanese club is partly owned by Manchester City, with the English club's Spanish administrators well aware of Gombau's work as a Barcelona youth coach.

Daily sports newspaper Sponichi reported that Yohohama president Akira Kaetsu was searching for someone that understands how to implement a possession-based game.

It is 13 years since Marinos last had a foreign coach but it has a had connection with the Catalan giant in the past, when former Barca player Antonio de La Cruz coached the team in 1999.

Gombau is contracted to Adelaide until 2017 but the Japanese club understands that contract can be broken if an offer comes from overseas.

It also reported that Guillermo Amor could join his Spanish colleague should he move to Yokohama.