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WHAT HAPPENED?
Xavi’s name had been increasingly linked with United in the last week as pressure mounted on Ten Hag, who was finally sacked by United on Monday following a fourth defeat in the opening nine games of the Premier League season. However, GOAL understands that the former Barcelona coach has no plans to take a job until next season and is intent on continuing his sabbatical year after leaving the Blaugrana in May. Therefore, United would have to wait until the summer to hire Xavi, which seems highly unlikely as they are seeking a permanent replacement to take over from Ten Hag imminently, with Ruud van Nistelrooy taking charge on an interim basis until a suitable candidate is found.
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Getty imagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Xavi’s eventful stay as Barcelona coach came to an end in bizarre circumstances as he was sacked by president Joan Laporta, just one month after he had made a U-turn on his own decision to leave at the end of the campaign. Xavi led Barca to their first La Liga title in four years in the 2022-23 season and won the Spanish Super Cup, but struggled to follow that excellent campaign up, finishing 10 points behind Real Madrid in the title race and exiting the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals. The former midfielder, who made 767 appearances for Barcelona and won four Champions Leagues in addition to eight La Liga titles, is reported to have spoken to United twice in the last few months and fans were excited on Sunday when, just after the defeat to West Ham, his wife posted a picture of the coach on Instagram with his son, who was wearing a Red Devils shirt.
DID YOU KNOW?
The post is understood to be a mere coincidence as Xavi is making the most of his first proper break for more than 25 years, enjoying spending time with his family and friends in Barcelona. However, he is continuing to indulge his passion for watching football. A source said: “He’s watching a lot of football, he’s a football obsessive. And he is preparing for the future.”
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
Van Nistelrooy will take charge of United for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup game against Leicester City. It remains to be seen whether the club will be able to find a permanent successor to Ten Hag before the Red Devils host Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
