Report: Man United hold talks with manager who plays 'tiki-taka' football to replace Erik ten Hag
Today at 04:19 AM
Manchester United have endured a torrid start to the new Premier League season.
Man United returned to winning ways against Brentford on the weekend but they still reside in the bottom half of the table.
| Position | Team | PlayedMP | WonW | DrawnD | LostL | ForGF | AgainstGA | DiffGD | PointsPts |
| 10 | FulhamFulham | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 11 | B’mouthBournemouth | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 11 |
| 12 | Man UtdManchester United | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 11 |
| 13 | BrentfordBrentford | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 10 |
| 14 | LeicesterLeicester | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 9 |
As such, Erik ten Hag’s future is far from secure and it’s understood INEOS contacted Thomas Tuchel before he accepted the England job.
Now, it’s just come to light, that United have held talks with a manager on the continent.
Man United hold talks with Xavi
According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United have held talks with former Barcelona manager Xavi to potentially replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Xavi has been out of work since leaving the Catalan giants in June following a runners-up finish to Real Madrid in La Liga.
The 44-year-old has already made it clear that he doesn’t want to manage in Spain again, so the United job could tempt him.
United could also turn to Ruud van Nistelrooy as a short-term solution, however, club chiefs are sticking by ten Hag for now.
Xavi record vs Erik ten Hag
Xavi, who plays a ‘tiki-taka’ style of play per All Football, has built up a pretty impressive CV in his short managerial career.
Here is how his record compares to ten Hag.
| Manager | Xavi | Erik ten Hag |
| Preferred formation | 4-3-3 | 4-2-3-1 |
| Total games | 239 | 563 |
| Wins | 157 | 354 |
| Draws | 36 | 91 |
| Losses | 46 | 118 |
| Trophies | 8 | 8 |
Evidently, ten Hag is the far more experienced manager, though, Xavi’s possession-based approach appears to be the way forward in the modern game.
