Barcelona manager Xavi has remained unmoved on his decision to leave the club in June through thick and thin. Even the team’s resurgence in recent months did not change his stance, and the team’s elimination from the UCL all but seals the same.
The Catalans are said to be interested in giving Rafa Marquez a run with the senior team next season given his familiarity with the team’s ways and academy. Candidates like Hansi Flick, Thomas Tuchel and Roberto de Zerbi have also been linked.
With his story in Catalonia set to come to an end, there has been talk of Xavi’s potential appointment at Ajax, a club in jeopardy and struggling for identity.
SPORT provides an update on the same.
Contacts initiated
As revealed by the Catalan outlet, there have been initial approaches between Ajax and Xavi’s entourage in recent days. The interest from the Eredivisie side is real.
Current manager John van ‘t Schip has announced that he will leave Ajax in June, and the Dutch club’s need for a new manager thus coincides with Xavi’s availability.
Moreover, the Barcelona legend promises to carry forward Ajax’s legacy of Cruyffian football while his propensity to trust youngsters is also seen as a big tick at the Dutch outfit.
The Barcelona manager initially planned to take a year-long sabbatical before his next project, but the interest from Ajax could force him to reconsider.
A club in jeopardy
Despite dominating the European scene not too long ago with the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech, Ajax have seen a steep fall in recent times with the ongoing season, in particular, being a disastrous one.
The result of recruitment failures and managerial inconsistencies now has the Dutch side a staggering 33 points behind leaders and arch-rivals PSV Eindhoven in the title race.
Just coming off a stressful rebuilding project at Barcelona, it remains to be seen if Xavi is willing to take his shot at a second equally demanding job at an elite club.
