Xavi has made his feelings clear on Man Utd as INEOS ‘make calls’ to ex-Barcelona manager

The Spaniard was previously considered as a potential replacement for Erik ten Hag at United last summer, but INEOS decided to stick with the Dutch manager before eventually appointing Ruben Amorim.

However, with Amorim facing difficulties at United, speculation linking Xavi with the Premier League club has resurfaced. The Barcelona great has already expressed his thoughts on United and their current form.

A report from Spanish outlet Relevo claims that several clubs, including United, have reached out to Xavi throughout the season. Nevertheless, he remains committed to completing his sabbatical year.

Xavi and his team have indicated that they prefer to start their next project from scratch, aiming for a long-term competitive endeavor, making a summer move more likely.

While Xavi turned down United’s approach last summer, he reportedly hasn’t ruled out joining the club ahead of next season if Amorim fails to improve the current campaign.

Xavi’s admiration for United is evident, as he praised their progress under Ten Hag following Barcelona’s Europa League clash with United in 2023.

Speaking to TNT Sport, Xavi said: “I think Manchester is coming back, and they showed their best. We need to be proud.

“I think both teams are more or less in the same moment, in the same position, that we are coming back. I said to Ten Hag now, ‘Congratulations,’ because he’s doing very well and they are Manchester United.

“It can be a final, a semi-final, a quarter-final maybe in the future of the Champions League, but now we are in the Europa League and we are coming back.”

Naturally, Xavi’s evaluation of the two clubs didn’t quite hit the mark, with Barcelona currently leading the La Liga standings and being one of the top contenders for the 2025 Champions League, while United are languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table.