New Barcelona boss Xavi is believed to be keen on re-signing Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara, the two men having previously played together at the Nou Camp.
The Catalan giants have opted to turn to one of their own to sort out their current mess, with the Spaniard taking over from Ronald Koeman following his sacking a few weeks ago, the Dutchman having overseen an underwhelming start to the season both domestically and in Europe.
The 41-year-old’s only previous managerial experience has come with Qatari side Al-Sadd, although the La Liga powerhouse will be hoping the World Cup winner can replicate the success of his former boss Pep Guardiola, who enjoyed a trophy-laden four-year stint in charge despite no previous top-level coaching experience.
While he is just a few days into the job, Xavi has already made the first signing of his tenure with former teammate Dani Alves set to make a return to the club, the 38-year-old having been out of contract after departing Sao Paulo in the summer.
According to Sport, another of the new manager’s ex-teammates could be in line to return to Catalonia, with Xavi believed to be keen on the club re-signing Liverpool midfielder Thiago.
The report suggests that the former Bayern Munich man is open to a possible switch, following a frustrating start to life on Merseyside, in which he has struggled for form and been plagued by injuries since his arrival in the summer of 2020.
While the 30-year-old made 30 appearances in all competitions last season, he has only featured seven times in the early months of the new campaign, with much of that involvement coming as a substitute, including in the recent 3-2 defeat to West Ham United.
The midfield playmaker has also perhaps failed to win over his new employers and their supporters, with his style of play at times looking at odds with the usual all-action approach of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
