Open Sources: Former Barcelona manager arrives Old Trafford with his family for Man Utd job

 

Open Sources: Former Barcelona manager arrives Old Trafford with his family for Man Utd job

Former Barcelona manager Xavi has reportedly not heard anything from Manchester United and has not changed his own plans about taking a sabbatical.

 

The Spanish tactician has been out of work since leaving Barca at the end of last season, but it was recently claimed that Man Utd chiefs held talks with him about replacing Erik ten Hag, according to the Daily Mail.

 

Ten Hag has today been sacked by United and Ruud van Nistelrooy has been placed in charge as interim manager, with a more experienced replacement surely set to be targeted in the coming weeks.

 

Xavi, however, does not seem to be in active talks with United, according to reliable Spanish journalist Guillem Balague…

 

The idea of Xavi has not changed

 

A sabbatical year and start a new project (why not in the Premier League) in the summer

 

He has not heard from Manchester United pic.twitter.com/tkYW4gEheW

 

— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) October 28, 2024

 

 

Xavi could be a decent option worth considering for United, but the deal perhaps seems unlikely for now, so it will be interesting to see if the Premier League giants step up their interest in the 44-year-old or move for alternative candidates.

 

Would Xavi be the ideal choice for Manchester United?

Xavi did a decent job at Barcelona, but it remains to be seen if he’s really done enough in his managerial career so far to suggest that he could take on a job as difficult as the one at United.

 

Ten Hag is the latest to fail to revive the club in this difficult post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, and so many others have also performed below expectations.

 

 

Xavi has been linked with Manchester United (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

 

Xavi may have won one La Liga title at the Nou Camp, but things didn’t end that well for him there, with the team clearly improving a great deal under new manager Hansi Flick this season.

 

United will surely have a few other names under consideration, and it’s not clear if Xavi would really be the outstanding candidate anyway, as some fans might prefer someone with more of a track record at the very highest level, as well as Premier League experience.

 

Former Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag, interim Man Utd manager Ruud van Nistelrooy

Former Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag and interim Man Utd manager Ruud van Nistelrooy

A reporter has explained why it is “no surprise at all” that Manchester United have sacked Erik ten Hag and placed Ruud van Nistelrooy in interim charge, while captain Bruno Fernandes has responded to his manager being fired.

 

Man Utd sacked Ten Hag on Monday morning, bringing to an end a turbulent two-plus year reign at Old Trafford. The Dutchman did guide Man Utd to two trophies during his spell, though results in both the Premier League and Europe greatly suffered.

 

Ruud van Nistelrooy – who returned to Old Trafford as an assistant coach over the summer – has taken charge on a temporary basis.

 

And according to Daily Mail reporter Chris Wheeler – who specialises in covering Man Utd – there may have been more to Van Nistelrooy’s return that initially met the eye.

 

Taking to X, Wheeler strongly suggested Van Nistelrooy was brought in thanks in part to being capable of taking charge at a moment’s notice if Ten Hag were fired. Van Nistelrooy was previously a frontline manager at PSV Eindhoven.

 

“From the moment Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to Utd this summer, it always felt as though the club had a ready-made replacement on hand if they had to sack Ten Hag,” wrote Wheeler. “No surprise at all to see him step in.”

 

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Van Nistelrooy was well aware he might be called upon to take temporary charge at the time of his arrival as assistant coach. Whether that factored into the former striker accepting a return, only he will know.

 

Bruno Fernandes respond to Ten Hag sack

Wheeler also noted Man Utd’s playing personnel were not pre-warned of Ten Hag’s dismissal. Instead, they learned of their manager losing his job at the same time as the club’s official announcement just before midday on Monday morning.

 

 

Skipper Fernandes was among the first to break his silence on the club’s decision.

 

Fernandes spoke overwhelmingly positively about his departed manager, though did admit “the last period hasn’t been great.”

 

“Thanks for everything boss!” wrote Fernandes on Instagram. “I appreciate the trust and the moments we share together, I wish you all the best in the future.

 

 

“Even knowing the last period hasn’t been great from all of us I hope you fans can keep with you the good things the manager has done for our club!”

 

On the subject of who will take the reins on a permanent basis, TEAMtalk insider, Fraser Gillan, has been told of four candidates who are on United’s radar.

 

The quartet in question are Julian Nagelsmann, Graham Potter, Eddie Howe and Thomas Frank.

 

Of that quartet, Howe would perhaps be the most difficult to appoint given he’s entrenched at Newcastle and his contract does not contain a release clause. Conversely, Potter – the only one of the four currently unattached – would be the easiest to lure to Old Trafford.

 

Van Nistelrooy’s excellent record at PSV Eindhoven

Ruud van Nistelrooy Games 51 won 33 drawn 10 lost 8 goals scored 126 goals against 60 goal difference +66 win percentage 64.71%