Xavi Offered to United as Carrick Gamble Looms, But INEOS Already Made Their Choice

The Manchester United managerial merry-go-round could have taken a rather different turn, had INEOS fancied a punt on continental pedigree. According to transfer correspondent Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils were offered the services of Xavi Hernandez back in January when they were casting about for someone to steady the ship following Ruben Amorim's departure.

Instead, they reached for the familiar comfort of Michael Carrick—the club legend who'd been plucked from Middlesbrough to take the reins on an interim basis. As it transpires, that call looks rather astute now.

Since Carrick's arrival, United have hauled themselves back into contention. A victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford last weekend confirmed their spot in the Premier League's top five and, crucially, secured Champions League football for next season. Not bad for a bloke who wasn't supposed to be there beyond January.

The Spaniard, who spent the 2023/24 campaign in charge at Barcelona before parting ways with the club, remains a free agent and is apparently open to testing himself in the English top flight. His pedigree is undeniable: eight La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey triumphs, and four Champions League crowns as a player, plus a World Cup winner's medal from 2010 and European Championship glory in 2008 and 2012. As Barcelona manager, he added a La Liga crown in 2022/23 and the Supercopa de Espana the following year.

Yet Romano revealed on his YouTube channel that whilst Xavi is genuinely keen on exploring Premier League possibilities, United simply weren't interested when the proposition came their way. "Xavi wants to consider the Premier League as a potential destination, not the only one," Romano explained. "So Xavi is very open about his future, but the Premier League would be interesting for Xavi Hernandez."

The question now facing INEOS is whether to make Carrick's appointment permanent or continue shopping around. One man who's already made his position abundantly clear is Casemiro, the departing Brazilian midfielder whose stock in SE14 has been astronomical since Carrick took charge.

Speaking to ESPN Brazil, Casemiro was effusive in his praise: "In my opinion, he completely deserves it. I think he's a guy who has already demonstrated that he has very good qualities to be a Manchester United coach."

The 32-year-old, who departs at season's end, went further still, highlighting the magnitude of Carrick's achievement in taking over mid-season. "There wasn't much time, that for me was one of the big surprises," Casemiro reflected. "He entered the middle of a troubled season. And the games, when he arrived, were not so much those games that we say to gain confidence."

What impressed Casemiro most was Carrick's intimate understanding of the club's culture and identity. "He's a coach who knows the club, he's a coach who was an idol at the club, he's a coach who played a lot, won titles here, knows what the club is like, knows what Manchester United is."

The Brazilian also praised Carrick's character, describing him as "a sensational person, an incredible person" and someone who deserves everything coming his way professionally. For Casemiro, the former midfielder's appointment represented a masterstroke—someone who could speak the language of the dressing room whilst understanding the weight of expectation that comes with the United badge.

Whether INEOS sees it the same way remains to be seen, though the data points in one direction: a club that was in freefall has stabilised, secured European football, and found a manager who appears to have the dressing room eating out of his hand. Sometimes, it seems, the best solutions are the ones staring you in the face.