Xavi’s COME-AND-GET-ME message to Man Utd

Manchester United’s 2-1 Premier League loss at West Ham United on Sunday has increased the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag, with Xavi not having sent a subtle message to the bosses at Old Trafford that he is interested in taking over.

Man Utd are 14th in the Premier League standings, having won just 11 points from their opening nine matches and now find themselves behind Julen Lopetegui’s side. Furthermore, they have failed to win any of their opening three Europa League matches, drawing each one.

Only Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored fewer Premier League goals than Ten Hag’s expensively assembled squad, with speculation raging over who could take over from the Dutchman.

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Xavi, who is unattached after leaving Barcelona in the summer, is one of the managers who have been linked with replacing Ten Hag at Man Utd.

The Spaniard has dropped a hint that he is open to the job via an Instagram story shared by his wife on Sunday that showed Xavi filling in a sticker book with his son, who was wearing a Man Utd shirt.

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Xavi the manager

Xavi, 44, was a legendary figure at Barcelona during his playing career, where he was an iconic figure in the heart of the Catalans’ midfield for the duration of his time at the top level.

His managerial career started with Al-Sadd in Qatar, the club he finished as a player. He spent two years in charge of the team, overseeing 96 matches, of which he won 66 times.

There was a sense that a move to Barcelona was inevitable, with that arriving in November 2021. Despite the financial problems besetting the club, he notably led Barca to LaLiga in 2022/23 and introduced a number of thrilling youngsters, such as Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, to the first team.

He departed in the summer at the end of his contract following a lengthy period of reflection.

Known for his ability to develop young talent and pragmatic enough not to make Barcelona more direct than they had previously been, he is seen as one option to take over at Man Utd.