Manchester United got off to a dream start under caretaker boss Michael Carrick at the weekend, with a tubtumping Manchester derby victory.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealed the 2-0 victory over their rivals City, as the club look to move on following Ruben Amorim’s departure earlier this month.
And while Carrick has quickly got off the mark in what is his second stint as Manchester United caretaker boss, the club will still be in the market to appoint their next permanent manager at the end of the season.
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Xavi linked with Manchester United job
And according to one report in Spain, the Red Devils have already been in ‘direct contact’ with one major name in Barcelona icon Xavi Hernandez.
The former Nou Camp midfielder and head coach has been out of work since he left Barca in May 2024, following a three-year stint in charge of the club which saw him win the 2022/23 La Liga title.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Michael Carrick TV presenter during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal CF at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
Michael Carrick has been appointed as Manchester United's caretaker boss(Image credit: Getty Images)
Spanish outlet Fichajes claim that the Old Trafford board are looking to hire a coach with more experience than Carrick and believe that Xavi can bring stability and ‘a recognisable structure’ to the club, with talks having already been opened.
However, Manchester United may face competition to land the 45-year-old, who was ranked at number four in FourFourTwo’s list of the 100 best players of the 21st century.
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That’s because this same report claims that Tottenham are also said to be interested in securing the services of the 133-time Spain international, should they decide to part ways with under-fire boss Thomas Frank.
Frank’s future is under the spotlight following his side’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham at the weekend, which leaves Spurs sitting 14th in the Premier League table.
Fichajes claim that Spurs believe Xavi fits their bill of ‘enthusiasm and competitiveness’, while offering a ‘less convulsive scenario and a project with room for growth’ than what would face the Spaniard at Old Trafford.
Xavi lifts the Champions League trophy after Barcelona's win in the 2015 final, his last game for the Catalan club.
Xavi won eight La Liga titles and four European Cups as a player(Image credit: Getty Images)
The report goes on to say that Xavi’s future will be decided ‘in the coming months’, with the Premier League a tantalising option for him as he looks to state his case as an elite coach.
In FourFourTwo’s view, Xavi is an interesting option for both Manchester United and Tottenham, but is perhaps not the slam-dunk hire that both are looking for.
After kicking off his managerial career in Qatar with Al Sadd, his time back at Barcelona was up and down, with some defeats in key matches standing out, with questions asked over the tactical side of his game and this is an appointment that the Red Devils need to get right.