A number of Premier League clubs including, Chelsea, have suffered a blow with news that a potential managerial target is no longer available.
Barcelona head coach Xavi shocked La Liga and European football when he announced that he would be stepping down as head coach of the Catalan giants.
With Xavi going, Barca started to undertake their search for a new manager and they have been looking at a number of options including the likes of Sporting Libson’s Ruben Amorim and Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi.
Indeed the situation also led to clubs from across Europe to look at Xavi – still regarded as one of Europe’s top coaches.
HITC revealed in March that Xavi’s situation was being monitored by the owners of Chelsea and Newcastle – should he indeed become available.
However, we were also informed by sources close to Barcelona that they were confident that Xavi could be persuaded to stay with the club.
Xavi agrees to stay with Barcelona
Now, HITC understands that Xavi has now confirmed to Barca president Joan Laporta that he intends to stay on for at least one more season.
The news is a major boost for Laporta, who admitted last month that he was in talks with Xavi.
He told El Mundo Deportivo: “I said to him: ‘We respect the fact that you’re here until the end of the season. It’s your decision. We’re doing well, we’re getting better and better. Look, since he’s said it, he’s won again and we’re winking at each other as if to say something can happen here. It’s going like this, it’s going better [than before] and the objectives are achieved’.
“Xavi already knows that I would like him to continue, but I already told him at the time, when he said about the pressure, that here we are always under pressure with the experience that you have.
“I asked him if there was a way for him to change his mind, but I saw him with insurmountable pressure on his face, [and] I told him to relax if he saw it that way.
“He keeps saying that at the end of the season he will leave, but we will see. Let’s not put pressure on ourselves because at the moment this formula works.”