COMING LIVE FROM OLD TRAFFORD: Manchester United board has identified Ruben Amorim’s replacement as official statement set to be issued in the next few hours
The Man Utd board have identified former Barcelona boss Xavi as the ‘ideal man to rebuild’ the club with Ruben Amorim ‘not convincing’ them, according to reports.
Man Utd have been struggling to put together a run of form to catapult them up the Premier League table with Amorim’s side currently 15th.
The Red Devils lost 1-0 to Tottenham on Sunday in a new low with Man Utd now winning just four of Amorim’s 14 Premier League matches in charge of the club.
Amorim was brought in to reverse their poor form under Erik ten Hag but it’s got worse under the Portuguese boss and some reports claim that Man Utd are ‘thinking’ about sacking the manager.
Man Utd only made one signing in January to help Amorim in the form of Patrick Dorgu with the head coach looking to play high-intensity football.
His new style of play, philosophy and formation do not suit the current squad he has at Man Utd but Amorim is refusing to move away from his principles.
And reports in Spain claim that Man Utd are ‘already looking for a replacement’ for Amorim with the Red Devils team continuing ‘to lack a clear direction’.
The Man Utd board are ‘already considering a change of coach for next season, and among the names that are most mentioned’ at Old Trafford is ex-Barcelona boss Xavi.
The report adds:
‘Although Amorim has only been in charge for a few months, there is a growing concern at Old Trafford that he is not the right coach to take the club back to the top flight. Defeats to lower-level teams and the possibility of missing out on the Champions League places have raised many doubts about his project.
‘One of the names that has emerged strongly is that of Xavi Hernandez, who left Barca a few months ago after failing to meet the board’s expectations. Although his departure from the club was not the best, his work in the team is still valued by many in Europe.
‘At Manchester United, some directors believe that Xavi could be the ideal man to rebuild the team, especially since his style of play resembles what they have been looking for since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. The club has been trying to recover its footballing identity for years, and the idea of having a manager with a clear vision of positional play and possession is very popular at Old Trafford.’
Xavi ‘wants a rest’ after leaving Barcelona but ‘an attractive offer from United, with a clear project and the possibility of important signings, could make him change his mind’.
