How Manchester United could line up under Xavi - with two major big-money arrivals

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag remains at the helm for the time being, but reports of conversations with have prompted questions about how the starting XI might be impacted.

Executives from the club for talks with the former boss. United's higher-ups were in Barcelona due to the Americas Cup taking place in the city, with part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe there to support his Ineos Britannia team.

Under-pressure Ten Hag was allowed to bring in over the summer, but results have not yet followed. United remain in the bottom half despite beating Brentford on Saturday, and have scored fewer league goals than bottom-of-the-table .

Xavi is currently a free agent, having . That means United would avoid needing to make a hefty compensation payment if they choose to move for the 44-year-old, but he may well want to make signings of his own.

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Xavi oversaw a number of high-profile signings at Camp Nou, beginning with Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in his first January window in 2022. Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha were among the expensive arrivals in the following window, with Ilkay Gundogan joining on a free 12 months later, while there were also eye-catching loans for the likes of Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.

How might the former Spain international change the set-up at Old Trafford, though? Here, Mirror Football takes a look based on his setup at Camp Nou, and it could prompt some difficult decisions.

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Goalkeeper and defence

After a shaky start, Andre Onana has developed into one of United's more important players. His ability with ball at feet was a big motivation in Ten Hag signing him, and that's also something which should please Xavi.

United have begun the season with Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot at full-back, two men who have the energy to get forward well and support attacks. Xavi's use of Cancelo last term might well encourage Dalot, another right-back filling in on the left, though the lopsided approach - with more defensive-minded Jules Kounde on the right for Barca - might prompt Xavi to use Lisandro Martinez in the left-back role he started in against Brentford.

Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt were both hand-picked by Ten Hag after working under him at Ajax, but there's a chance neither is first-choice under Xavi. Leny Yoro can be expected to enter the fray once he returns from injury, and it could well be time for long-time target Ronald Araujo to finally make the move over.

Midfield

Araujo isn't the only Barcelona player to be linked with United of late. Frenkie de Jong has been mentioned in connection with the club on more than one occasion, and a change of manager might be the trigger needed to force through a deal.

The elephant in the room here concerns , though. Based on Xavi's set-up with Barca, and his appreciation for young talents, there might not be an obvious place for United's captain in a midfield three.

Manuel Ugarte is the obvious candidate for the deep-lying role occupied by Sergio Busquets under Xavi as Barca won in 2023, with and De Jong ahead of him. That could mean pushing Fernandes forward to play off the left of a front three, or alternatively it could mean cashing in.

Attack

Marcus Rashford's brilliant display against Barcelona in the 2022-23 clearly left an impression on Xavi, while Barcelona were linked with the England star long before that performance. Were Xavi to move to Old Trafford, it could end up providing the hard reset the forward looked like needing last term.

Alejandro Garnacho has been in and out of the team under Ten Hag but is already an established part of the first-team squad at the age of just 20. Given the faith Xavi put in the likes of Gavi and Pedri in Catalunya, the Argentina international would have reason to feel optimistic.

The two wide men could be alternated with Fernandes depending on the opposition, providing the captain is satisfied playing a more marginal role within the squad. In the middle, though, Hojlund looks more than capable of filling the role occupied by Lewandowski in Xavi's Barcelona setup.

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