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Xavi linked with Premier League giants days after Barcelona sacking
Xavi, four-time Champions League-winning midfielder, is now linked with a Premier League club to become their new manager.
Xavi Hernandez is already in demand days after getting sacked by Barcelona as manager after the 2023-24 season. The Barcelona legend had a roller-coster season with the Catalan Giants where he guided his team to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League and second place in the La Liga points table. However, the recent difference of opinions with the president and other key club members, he was sacked weeks after announcing that he would stay for another season at Barcelona.
The four-time Champions League-winning midfielder is now linked with a Premier League club to become their new manager. According to journalist Pedro Almeida, Chelsea are set to open talks with Xavi and evaluate whether he can take over charge of the club's upcoming season. The Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino with mutual consent after the competition of the 2023-24 season. He helped them finish sixth in the Premier League which looked highly unlikely at one stage in the season.
The 2021 Champions League winners are already linked with managers like Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna and Enzo Maresca.
Meanwhile, Xavi midseason announced that he would leave Barcelona after the ongoing season as the club tried to convince him to stay. However, months later the Spaniard tracked back and stated that he would stay and fulfil his contract with the club,
However, later he made comments about the club's financial struggles in recent times and suggested that Barcelona will struggle against other European giants next season which irked Barcelona president Joan Laporta and other club members.
Xavi compiled 90 wins, 23 draws and 29 defeats in 142 games in charge and also guided Barcelona to La Liga triumph on his first full season.
The 44-year-old said that he leaves the club disappointed after feeling his work was not appreciated enough as they finished the season with a 2-1 win at Sevilla on Sunday.
"I have the feeling that everything I have done in these two and a half years has caused an earthquake. I have been targeted many times in many situations," Xavi said.
"I think that the work has not been sufficiently appreciated. This year we haven't been up to the task because of details. We had four key games in which we couldn't finish the good work we had done," he added.
