Manchester United considering move for Xavi as potential replacement for Ruben Amorim

Manchester United changed managers in November after Erik ten Hag was fired less than three months into the season. Ruud van Nistelrooy took over the reigns on an interim basis while Ruben Amorim, the permanent fixture to the role vacated by the former Ajax Amsterdam coach, joined later on.

Though the so-called ‘new manager bounce’ was there for all to see during Van Nistelrooy’s short stint in the dugout, Amorim has failed to impress in several weeks at the helm. The Red Devils are lurking in 15th place in the Premier League standings and face a tough battle in their bid to win the Europa League with a double-legged round of 16 tie versus Real Sociedad, starting next week.

Admittedly, Amorim has not had the time or the support so far to assemble the kind of team he would like but it is safe to assume that the odds could soon turn against him if the results continue to trend in southward direction. With that said, Relevo journalist Alex Pintanel has claimed that Man United are considering Xavi’s appointment if they are forced to fire Amorim.

Xavi the ideal candidate but Amorim deserves time

Xavi started his career as head coach in Qatar with Al Sadd and won six trophies with them, before returning to a club where he enjoys legendary status, Barcelona, this time in a managerial capacity. He guided the Blaugrana, severely troubled by their financial problems, to a La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup before being shown the door at the end of 2023/24.

He was lauded by the Barca fans and Spanish media for achieving incredible results with the bare minimum resources at hand, so with Manchester United looking towards cutting their costs from all possible angles, Xavi’s appointment makes sense. However, it would be ludicrous to fire Ruben Amorim, who has had little time to impose his tactics and get to know the players better.

Manchester United’s squad is largely dominated by players Erik ten Hag brought in, primarily due to their connects with Ajax Amsterdam and it has been difficult for a large bunch to buy into Amorim’s strategy. Apart from a much-needed clear-out in the summer, the former Sporting Lisbon boss also requires adequate backing to buy players he deems suitable for his football.

If the club and the manager can work together, there could be better days for a club under an ambitious head coach, with this summer’s pre-season also likely to play a key role in helping him implement his tactical setup.