United have clear favourite to be next manager despite addition of huge name to shortlist – report

News of Xavi Hernandez’s sacking as manager of Barcelona yesterday has thrown yet another cat among the pigeons in the race to become Manchester United’s next manager in the summer.

As Manchester United head to Wembley for the FA Cup final against Manchester City this afternoon, all focus is on the future of current manager, Erik ten Hag.

Since Thursday there have been numerous reports from top journalists claiming the decision has already been made by new owners INEOS to sack the manager regardless of today’s result.

Several top coaches have been linked to the hotseat such as Thomas Tuchel and Kieran McKenna.

It was looking like a two-horse race for the job, although England manager Gareth Southgate, former Chelsea boss Graham Potter and Brentford manager Thomas Frank are also on the shortlist according to different reports.

However, Barcelona legend Xavi was sacked yesterday and his name was inevitably linked with the soon-to-be-vacant role.

Football365 cite reports from Spain saying that already, United have made contact with Xavi.

The Red Devils are said to be “interested” in bringing the Spaniard to the Premier League and it has been “leaked” that “his name is on the list of possible replacements”.

This follows reports from earlier in the week that Mauricio Pochettino has also been added to the shortlist having parted company with Chelsea.

However, the outlet insists that there is one favourite for the job and that both Xavi and Pochettino will just be backup options.

“Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who has just left Bayern Munich, is the manager who ‘convinces the board much more’,” Football365 claims.

This supports reports this morning from Germany stating that Bayern Munich are convinced Tuchel already has an agreement with United that he will be their next manager, although yesterday also saw a report saying United had their doubts about the German.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag has said in an interview that INEOS have told him they plan to go forward with him as the plot thickens more quickly than a badly written 1980s soap opera.

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