Erik ten Hag's goodbye could open the doors for Xavi Hernández to lead United

Finally, the patience of the Manchester United hierarchy has reached its limit. Following the unfortunate 2-1 defeat on Sunday against West Ham in matchday nine of the Premier League, the 'Red Devils' have decided to terminate the contract of the 54-year-old Dutch coach, Erik ten Hag.

The Manchester United has used its social media to announce the dismissal of the coach, who concludes his tenure at the club after 128 matches, with a record of 72 wins, 20 draws, and 36 losses. This is the club's statement:

"Erik ten Hag has left his position as the head coach of the Manchester United men's first team. Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two national trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

We thank Erik for all he has done during his time with us and wish him the best for the future."

Beyond that, the Manchester team, whose start to this 2024-25 season is quite discouraging and atypical for a club of its stature, is currently placed 14th in the Premier League. They have announced that Ruud van Nistelrooy will take on the role of interim coach, supported by the current coaching staff, until a permanent coach is hired.

Xavi Hernández, an ideal candidate to replace Erik ten Hag?

Based on this, one of the top coaches who seems to be emerging as a strong candidate to take over as the coach of Manchester United is none other than a familiar face from the Barça house and who is currently a free agent: Xavi Hernández. The Terrassa native, as reported by the 'Daily Mail,' has reportedly been visited by the Chief Executive Officer Omar Berrada and three other executives of the 'Red Devils' to determine his willingness to replace Erik ten Hag. Additionally, a picture circulated on social media showing one of the Catalan's sons wearing the Manchester United jersey.

👀 Xavi Hernández's son with a Manchester United shirt while being rumored to be the team's coach pic.com/1h7mJjDBEH

— Som I Serem FCB (@Somhiseremfcb) October 27, 2024

At this point, it remains to be seen whether this deal will materialize, as it is also true that Manchester United, according to several English media outlets, is also considering Ruben Amorim (Sporting Club de Portugal), Thomas Frank (Brentford), and Edin Terzić, who has been without a team since leaving Borussia Dortmund at the end of last season.