Xavi Hernández, formerly of Barcelona, is being pursued by a major club in an emerging football league to collaborate with its ambitious project.
After winning on the continental stage, the club is set to part ways with the current manager, who just failed to reach contractual agreements, and they are looking for someone new.
This 45-year-old Spaniard, whose coaching philosophy relies on possession, is the ideal candidate to lift the level of the team on a domestic and regional level.
Reports state contact has been made to confirm negotiations, but financial complications possibly remain an issue.
The club is Al-Ahli, the famed Jeddah giant in the Saudi Pro League, currently placed fifth in the standings, as reported by David Ornstein.
Xavi emerges as a strong contender to replace Matthias Jaissle, who, it looks like, is about to leave the club, despite leading the team to the AFC Champions League title in May 2025.
Having previously worked as a coach with Al Sadd, it will be great for Xavi to return to the top-flight football league with Al-Ahli because he previously enjoyed success at Barcelona lifting the La Liga in 2022-23, and it should be said that they had an unsuccessful 2023-24 season where Xavi was let go without a trophy.
Al-Ahli’s squad is filled with great players like Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Ivan Toney, and this is a good opportunity for Xavi to work with top-level players and implement his tactics.
Al-Ahli’s pursuit of Xavi highlights their ambition to be the best of Saudi football, alongside Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
However, the club is in a competitive race for a manager – former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been linked with the club.
Should Xavi make the move to Al-Ahli, it could be a huge statement and a new era for the club, leveraging experience from his previous assessments to improve the club’s future.
As discussions proceed, Al-Ahli wants to have clarity on their management situation to ensure a good 2025-26 season, while their fans wait to see Xavi’s next steps in his career as an elite coach.
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