Xavi opens up on Barcelona move: “I have been talking to Barça for days”

Just when it seemed like Barcelona were closing in on the appointment of Xavi Hernandez as their next manager, his current employers, Al Sadd, issued a statement expressing their desire to keep the Spanish tactician at the club.

Now, however, the 41-year-old Barcelona legend has himself spoken out on the matter, insisting that he has been in talks with the Catalan outfit for days now and is hopeful of securing a return. Although, the former midfielder does mention that talks between the two clubs need to go through smoothly for him to return to Camp Nou.

Speaking to TV3, Xavi said: “I am very excited and eager. I have been talking to Barça for days, everything is ready, but now it depends on the conversations between clubs. Hopefully it can be done.”

The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner then admitted that his recent talks with his players at Al Sadd had been emotionally charged due to the uncertainty in his future, saying: “The talk with the players has been emotional because I don’t know what will happen. We continue in conversations. I am a positive person and it is common sense, they have to agree.”

Xavi rounded off by stating that he was excited at the possibility of returning to Barca and hoped everything will be sorted out now that vice-president Rafa Yuste and director Mateu Alemany were in Doha to finalise the deal. “Rafa and Mateu have come, the issue has to be solved immediately. I have been very clear and I am very excited and want to go home,” he said.

Amidst these talks, beIn Sports has claimed that Xavi’s return to Barcelona is 99% completed. Former Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla, who is a player at Al Sadd, also seemed to confirm the same by wishing his manager good luck for his next chapter at Camp Nou.

As reported by Cadena SER (h/t SPORT), Cazorla said: “We wish Xavi the best, we want the best for him. I am very grateful to him for everything he has done for me. Now we have to wait and see what happens.”

So, despite Al Sadd’s earlier statements, it seems like Xavi’s appointment as the new manager of Barcelona seems to be only a matter of time.