Speculation suggests that Old Trafford leadership is evaluating potential alternatives to current manager Ruben Amorim, potentially involving a prominent former player from FC Barcelona.
This comes after an underwhelming beginning to the campaign for the Red Devils, with a modest seven points obtained from six matches, including a recent defeat to Brentford by a score of 3-1.
Last year, the team concluded the season in 15th position, although the burden of expectations on Amorim was not excessively high during that period, considering his mid-season arrival.
Potential Successor to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United Identified; Possesses Significant La Liga Experience
However, after a complete pre-season under his direction and the acquisition of several new players, including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, there’s greater demand for Amorim to exhibit tangible progress and results.
Following the elimination from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Grimsby Town, despite fielding a strong starting lineup, growing skepticism surrounding his suitability for the managerial position has intensified with each disappointing outcome.
It is common practice for football organizations to maintain a roster of prospective replacements for their head coaches, irrespective of the current manager’s job security.
According to reports from Fichajes, one of the names under consideration by the leadership at Old Trafford is Xavi, the former player and coach of Barcelona.
This would represent only his third senior management role, following his initial venture into coaching with Qatari club Al-Sadd, and subsequently, his tenure of slightly less than three years at the helm of FC Barcelona.
During his time as Barcelona’s manager, he secured the La Liga title in the 2022/23 season. However, questions remain regarding the adaptability of his possession-based style of play to the more physical and direct nature of the Premier League.
In the perspective of FourFourTwo, while Xavi undoubtedly possesses the credentials to be a candidate for the Manchester United managerial position, his appointment might somewhat contradict the owners’ declaration of establishing a club-wide style of play that prospective managers should adhere to.
Amorim is known to employ a 3-4-2-1 formation with wing-backs, whereas Xavi predominantly favors a 4-3-3 setup.
Considering the departure of all wingers and the recruitment of specialized wing-backs like Patrick Dorgu to suit the Portuguese head coach’s tactical approach, the appointment of Xavi could be seen as a divergence from the envisioned ‘club style’.
Nevertheless, despite the escalating rumors of a potential replacement, the BBC indicated recently that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to express confidence in Amorim.
