“Erik ten Hag has resigned as manager of the first team of Manchester United,” the club from the red part of Manchester officially announced on Monday afternoon.. Thus, after more than two years, the era of the Dutch coach at Old Trafford ended. Although it was a disappointment and brought some embarrassing results, it also brought two trophies in the showcase – the English League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup won this year.
In a statement, Manchester United announced that Ten Haga's current assistant, former Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, has become the interim coach. It was also emphasized that the club would employ a new coach.
Xavi Hernandez to coach Manchester United? In Spain they write in unison
Who could become him? In Spain, the newspapers unanimously report the candidacy of Xavi Hernandez! However, with one caveat. The 44-year-old has been out of work since he left FC Barcelona at the end of last season. His candidacy has already been discussed, among others, in the English media when Ten Hag was still the coach of Manchester United.
“The former Barcelona coach does not plan to train this season, but if they call him from Manchester… Nothing is impossible due to the size of the English club,” wrote “Marca”. The daily emphasized that Xavi wanted to take a year off from training, but it would all be a matter of convincing the Catalan to return. “The Manchester United project is a spectacular project for Xavi Hernandez and would be in line with the Catalan's expectations for next season (a big club, with good players and aspirations for everything),” we read.
“Mundo Deportivo”, in turn, emphasizes that Xavi Hernandez wants to rest until the end of the current season and does not intend to take over the team in the middle of the season. According to the Catalan newspaper, “there is currently no offer” that could convince him to take up the job. The same information was provided by “Sport”, emphasizing that Xavi wants to “recharge his batteries” after more than two years spent at FC Barcelona.
So the question remains – would Manchester United be willing to wait until the summer for Xavi if they can't convince him now?
Currently, Manchester United is 14th in the Premier League table and has 11 points. The Red Devils' next match will be played at home on Wednesday, October 30, against Leicester in the English League Cup.