Xavi's true feelings on Man Utd clear with seven-word statement as Erik ten Hag sacked

Free agent has suggested he could be the man to step into 's shoes after the Dutchman was fired by .

Ten Hag on Monday after his side slipped to a 2-1 defeat against on Sunday. The Red Devils continue to grapple with their worst start to a season in the modern era and have just three wins from nine matches thus far.

And legend Xavi didn't shy away from the idea of managing in England's top flight when he was quizzed on the matter early in his coaching career. There will be cheers from some quarters as the Spaniard - who left the Barca helm in May - may be lured into filling the fresh void at the Theatre of Dreams.

"So why not? I could see myself [managing] in England, definitely," he told back in 2021. "It's one of the things I'd like to experience in my career."

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However, Xavi isn't the sole icon of Spanish football who has flirted with the prospect of venturing into the Premier League. great has in the past stopped short of dismissing the notion of an English adventure and is currently without a club amid links to Old Trafford.

"Never say never. Especially when you are a coach today," the French icon told national newspaper L'Equipe in 2022. "If I go back to a club, it is to win. I say this with all modesty."

United decided to stick with Ten Hag as coach despite rumours of his impending dismissal in the summer, even after he clinched the last term. However, lacklustre performances on all fronts this season have convinced the club's board to finally split.

Xavi found himself in a similar predicament towards the end of his tenure in Catalonia. The former Spanish maestro guided the Blaugrana to silverware in 2023 but was dismissed the following year after a fallout with Barca president Joan Laporta.

While Xavi and Zidane may have achieved great things with their previous clubs, the current project at Old Trafford presents a completely different task. United have only managed two serious attempts at the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson's triumphant farewell in 2013, with their title-winning habits waning in the process.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his board have made a bold move by finally sacking Ten Hag and restarting the search for a new manager. And although Xavi has expressed his intention to take a break after leaving Barca, the opportunity to revamp United could be big enough to delay those plans.

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