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Report: Xavi passes on move to NYC FC to stay with Barcelona

Xavi of Barcelona

Photo by Matt West/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Talk about a U-turn.

Xavi has opted to remain at Barcelona and will not be joining New York City FC for its inaugural MLS season, according to the latest reports out of Spain. Xavi is expected to stick with the Spanish giants for the 2014-15 season in what is a surprising move given that Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently said that Xavi would be on the move this summer.

The report states that the 34-year-old midfielder could stay with Barcelona until January and then join compatriot David Villa at NYC FC as a Designated Player, but it seems more likely that Xavi continues at Barcelona until at least next summer.

Neither club has officially commented on the matter, but a formal announcement is expected later this week.

If the Spanish midfielder opts to extend his time at Barcelona, the decision would mark the latest turn in the will-he, won’t-he saga that has had NYC FC fans buzzing for several weeks now.

What do you make of this development if true? Surprised Xavi might stay at Barcelona? Who should NYC FC look to next to potentially fill a Designated Player slot?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. A CM tandem of Lamps and the Wee Xavi would be awfully old. As skilled as they are, they may get flat outworked by many MLS midfields. That’s a lot of cash to pay for a midfield that can’t go get the ball anymore.

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  2. so basically he has until January to prove he is still good enough for them otherwise at that point he’ll move to NYC. what an annoying saga this has been.

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  3. Xavi has been in the Barca/Spanish system his whole life, playing one style. He’s used to having the quality of an Iniesta next to him and a boatload of talent, either homegrown (taught in a similar manner since they were kids) or top dollar signings to fill out the squad. I can’t seem to imagine Xavi passing the ball to an ex-college player making 75k a year, and think he would get frustrated big time in NYCFC. Have heard that he gets frustrated when teammates don’t pick up his passes.

    Plus there is a lot of mileage on those legs. Spend the cash on Jermaine Jones instead who would thrive in MLS, along with Mix Diskerud.

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    • +1 good points. have to wonder how a player like him would do in an expansion team. for club and country for years now he has been in a very consistent environment and the first year of nycfc on the baseball diamond.. could have been ugly

      wasn’t Mix wearing a yankees cap the whole time he was in the US prior to the WC?

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  4. Sounds like NYC didn’t want to pay him what he thinks he’s worth. Addition by subtraction in my mind. Use man city’s scouting resources to find 2 or 3 players that are younger, hungrier, and have a longer shelf life with the club.

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  5. So much for everyone’s claim that xavi is too old/ washed up. We get to watch him on Barca till January and then hope he makes the leap. How anyone questioned xavi coming over is beyond me…pissed he’s not

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    • He has a short time left and then NYCFC will be looking for someone else. Not beneficial for continuity plus you can the very tail end of the his career as opposed to a younger DP. He wasn’t a good choice as a DP.

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  6. Great news for me a Red Bull fan. NYFC is good for everyone in MLS except for Red Bulls and that is why they got a team. $100 million franchise fee and big name players that will draw well when they play away games. However, 40% of Red Bulls fans come from outside NJ, most from NYC.

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    • 1. Bad news for me as a Metro fan. I wanted Xavi to go to NYCFC. Dude’s a legend, mad respect. But just can’t imagine he’d hold up very well in this league physically speaking with the mileage on those legs. Both NY teams were better off with a younger DP type anyway. Unfortunately Man City Juniors are the only one of the two that seems likely/willing to get one now.

      2. Where’d you get the 40% #? Just curious.

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      • Heard an interview with Chris Heck, during his brief and disastrous stint with the team, where he gave numbers similar to that. He said more of the NYC based fans live in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

    • I didn’t think Xavi, even though he is a legend and maybe the best Spanish player of all time, was a good choice as a DP. So, as a RBNY fan, it’s not really great or bad news to me. I think MLS can get good players closer to their prime than Xavi is right now. David Villa would be an example. Those guys stick around a few years and can form the core of a good MLS side. Guys like Henry, Keane, Cahill are examples.

      Speaking of which, RBNY could use a DP signing of its own, or two maybe if Henry leaves at the end of the year.

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