Louis Van Gaal gave Xavi his debut during his time as Barca boss and has tried to persuade the 34-year-old to make a move to the Premier League in the latest transfer window.
Bayern Munich were also interested in landing Xavi after it became clear he was planning to leave the club at which he has spent his whole career.
Pep Guardiola, of course, also worked closely with Xavi during his time at the Camp Nou and was hopeful of luring the midfield maestro to the Bundesliga.
But Xavi – who also had offers from Qatar and the MLS this summer – decided that he was not willing to join clubs he considered to be rivals of Barca.
he World Cup winner ultimately decided against leaving Barcelona altogether and instead opted to remain at the Camp Nou for a further season.
Bayern eventually opted for former Liverpool star Xabi Alonso while United also opted for a Spanish midfield star by landing Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao.
It now remains to be seen where Xavi chooses to go at the end of the season when his time at Barca will surely come to an end.
Written by Steve Milne
