Man Utd hold talks for Ten Hag upgrade who once rejected Fergie

And so it’s lastly over, Erik ten Hag is not Manchester United supervisor.

It has been a merely disastrous begin to the 2024/25 season for the membership. The Pink Devils are stumbling within the Premier League and Europa League and are struggling to win a recreation. They at present discover themselves 14th within the Premier League, with simply 11 factors to their identify thus far.

The Pink Devils, who gained the FA Cup final season, might be hoping they’ll flip this torrid kind round quickly with Ruud van Nistelrooy now on the helm on an interim foundation.

The long-lasting Dutchman – or whoever finally ends up being the brand new everlasting appointment – definitely has their work lower out…

United’s underlying stats within the 2024/25 Premier League

Maybe probably the most hanging stat for United thus far this time period is the very fact they’ve gained simply 4 video games in all competitions in all the season, having performed 14 instances. These victories have come towards Fulham on the opening day of the season, Premier League strugglers Southampton, League One outfit Barnsley and, most lately, Brentford.

One situation the Pink Devils have had this season is scoring objectives. They’re the second-lowest scorers within the division this season, with simply eight objectives to their identify. As per Understat, the Pink Devils have an anticipated objectives tally of 15.65xG, though that also locations them eleventh within the xG desk.

While they’ve conceded 11 instances thus far within the Premier League, they’re worryingly fifteenth for anticipated objectives towards. United’s present tally stands at 17.52xGA, with 4 of the 5 sides who’ve a worse quantity in that metric sitting beneath them within the Premier League.

Unsurprisingly, these woes have resulted in the long run for Ten Hag, given how badly the facet are performing this season. Rumours have been swirling about who might change the Dutchman, together with one supervisor who’s a legend of the sport.

The supervisor who might change Ten Hag

The supervisor in query right here is former Barcelona boss Xavi. The legendary midfielder lately left his put up on the helm of the La Liga giants, who are actually flying excessive underneath Hansi Flick. In response to a report from Sacha Tavolieri, the Spaniard is a ‘concrete result in succeed’ the Dutchman and is having talks with membership officers.

Certainly, the 44-year-old has a robust report as Barca supervisor regardless of the very fact he left the membership on the finish of final season. In 143 matches that he coached his former facet, Xavi oversaw 91 wins, and simply 23 attracts and 29 losses. His facet managed to attain 280 objectives underneath him in that point.

Curiously, the Spaniard, who gained the World Cup and two European Championships along with his nation, was as soon as a goal for United as a participant. He defined that the membership “approached me as soon as by means of Sir Alex Ferguson’s brother”, though he rejected the provide in favour of Barcelona.

When it comes to his type of play, Xavi favours a direct 4-3-3 formation, taking inspiration from the legendary sides he featured in as a participant, with intricate, one-touch passing strikes and loads of underlaps from midfield. One in all his finest wins as Barca boss was a 3-1 victory over Actual Madrid within the Supercup in 2023.

Xavi may be the right supervisor for United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The 19-year-old has change into a key participant for his boyhood membership over the previous 12 months and is considered one of England’s most gifted younger midfielders. He already has 44 senior appearances for the Pink Devils underneath his belt.

Studying from one of many best midfielders of all time can be big for the England worldwide’s growth. Throughout his time at Barca, he developed La Masia graduates Pedri and Gavi into two world-renowned midfielders.

With a superb observe report of creating younger midfielders, Mainoo might take his recreation to the subsequent stage underneath Xavi, studying new intricacies to additional develop his recreation. It may very well be a match made in heaven.

Xavi might then signify the dream improve on Ten Hag, having averaged 2.07 factors per recreation throughout his time at Camp Nou, whereas the now ex-United boss completed with a report of simply 1.84 factors per recreation from his 128 matches on the helm.

Not solely does Xavi give younger gamers an opportunity, precisely what United stands for, however his type of play might match the squad effectively. It would find yourself being the dream appointment for the Pink Devils as they appear to save lots of their season, with the membership as soon as once more chasing a brand new everlasting supervisor on this turbulent post-Ferguson period.