Xavi retains "blind confidence" in Ansu Fati and is baffled by talk of the Barcelona forward's future being uncertain.
Fati has made 20 appearances for Barca in LaLiga this season, but 13 of those have come from the bench with two of Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele and Gavi usually preferred out wide of star striker Robert Lewandowski.
Reports this week credited Premier League trio Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal with an interest in Fati, who has scored three league goals and provided three assists in his limited playing time this term.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip to Villarreal, Xavi said Spain international Fati can make a big impact now and in the future, questioning why rumours about his future were rife outside the transfer window.
"We expect a lot from him, I have blind confidence in him," Xavi said of the 20-year-old. "I have it with everyone. We have been shaping the squad based on what I wanted.
"I have confidence with everyone and especially with Ansu. He is a player for the present and for the future. He has to have patience and give everything when he comes in, which he is doing.
"At this moment there is no one transferable. The market has finished, I don't know what we are doing talking about sales, we are playing the season.
"We are talking about the sale of Ansu, who was not talked about all month in January. I don't understand it and even less in the Barcelona environment. I have a lot of hope for him."
Fati will hope to get a chance to impress at the Estadio de la Ceramica – he has scored four goals in five league appearances against Villarreal, more than against any other opponent.
Barcelona must juggle two competitions in the coming weeks, with the first leg of a mouthwatering Europa League tie against United coming four days after their meeting with Villarreal.
Xavi, however, is taking things game by game, saying: "There is no priority, we want to win the titles for which we compete. The most important game is always the next one."
Barca are likely to be without captain Sergio Busquets for at least two weeks after the 34-year-old suffered a sprained ankle in last week's 3-0 win over Sevilla.
The Blaugrana great is yet to pen a new contract amid suggestions Inter Miami hope to lure him to Major League Soccer, and Xavi reiterated the midfielder will decide his own future.
"With Busi there will be no problem," Xavi said. "He knows that he is extremely important. He is a living legend and his personal decision will mark his future. Only he decides.
"We go as the president [Joan Laporta], Busi and I and there is a very good vibe. It will depend on Busi, what he wants to do."
Fernandes looking for strong finish to Man Utd's season
Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must "finish the season in the best way" following their 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
The United youngsters played starring roles, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund getting all three goals to close the gap to Newcastle in the table.
Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall both netted for the Magpies, with the latter setting up a nervy finish with his stoppage-time effort, but their lack of clinical edge meant United earned all three points.
Erik ten Hag’s side avoided a third consecutive defeat, and what would have been a record-breaking 10th home loss of the season, and Fernandes insists they must find a way to finish positively.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the United captain said: "Obviously the job isn’t finished yet. We still have one game in the Premier League, then the biggest game of the season, the FA Cup final.
"It has been a tough season. The table shows that, and we are all aware of that. The fans have been amazing and behind us all season. We all appreciate what they have been doing for us.
"We want to do better and do differently. They [fans] have been amazing for us, and we had to do something. We have been trying, but results don’t show that. We have been working hard and everyone has been giving their best. It is not enough, and we have to do more.
"We still have two games to go, and we have to finish in the best way.
"It doesn’t exist, a captain's performance, it is a team performance. I am no different from anyone just because I have the armband. I always try my best, and we always do the best we can for the club – nobody hides that we play for a big club, and we have to lift our standards every game."
Despite returning to winning ways, United have now conceded 58 Premier League goals this season, their most across a single campaign in the competition.
Ten Hag was keen to turn the focus away from their struggling defence and onto the attacking players instead.
"Fantastic. Great goals. But it was a team effort how we made the goals. But I'm always happy at young players who are progressing very good and scored some brilliant goals," he told BBC Sport.
"Newcastle have a lot of physical power, and you have to match that, but you also have to play football. We had found the really good balance in this.
"It's always nice to win any game. It's important to win the last game at Old Trafford this season. The fans deserve this because they've had difficult times and always stayed with us.
"We are here together. We wanted to pay the fans back."
Manchester United 3-2 Newcastle United: Hojlund gets Red Devils back to winning ways
Manchester United kept their European hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United in their final home game of the season on Wednesday.
Amad Diallo scored his first Premier League goal to put the hosts 2-1 up in the second half, before Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench to wrap up the points.
Kobbie Mainoo had earlier netted the opener just after the half-hour mark, though the Red Devils were pegged back early in the second half through Anthony Gordon.
Lewis Hall took advantage of some slack defending in stoppage time to set up a nervy finish, but the hosts held strong to see out the win.
Erik ten Hag's side remain in eighth but are now level on points with Newcastle, who have a superior goal difference. Chelsea's win at Brighton means the Magpies drop to seventh.
Newcastle soon came under pressure as Martin Dubravka made a routine save to deny Scott McTominay before pushing away Diallo’s curler.
Mainoo then found the opening, latching onto Diallo’s throughball before picking out the bottom-left corner with his composed finish.
The Magpies responded well, and Dan Burn’s towering header was inches away from pulling them level, but Casemiro brilliantly cleared on the line.
Newcastle were rewarded for a bright start to the second half as Gordon met Jacob Murphy’s cross to fire an equaliser past Andre Onana in the 49th minute.
Less than 10 minutes later, though, Eddie Howe’s side were behind once more – Diallo latched onto a poor clearance to rifle a powerful strike past Dubravka from the edge of the box.
The hosts were indebted to Onana as he then made two big saves, smothering Sean Longstaff one-on-one and stretching to tip Joelinton’s shot over the bar.
Gordon almost levelled for a second time when his fizzed shot threatened to sneak in at the far post, but Miguel Almiron could not get the vital touch to take it over the line.
Hojlund then came off the bench and with his first touch of the ball, he held off Burn to slot a low shot through Hall's legs and into the bottom-left corner.
In the 92nd minute, Hall gave Newcastle late hope after latching onto a loose clearance and firing in a brilliant strike from distance, but they were unable to find a second.
The kids are alright
Mainoo has proven a bright spark in United's underwhelming season, and scored his third goal of the campaign here - he has given the Red Devils the lead each time he has found the back of the net.
Teenagers have now scored 10 Premier League goals for United this season (Alejandro Garnacho has seven to Mainoo's three), their third-highest tally in a single campaign after 2004-05 (15) and 2019-20 (11).
All three of United’s goalscorers were aged 21 or younger, with Hojlund scoring just 106 seconds after coming off the bench.
Away blues return for Magpies
Newcastle were looking for their third win over United in all competitions this season, but despite showing a goal threat, they struggled to convert their chances.
Their away form has improved in recent weeks, with the Magpies winning four of their last seven on the road compared to just one victory from their first 10, but they could not run out winners again here.
Howe is also still looking for his first league win in Manchester, failing to win any of his last 15 away games against either Manchester City or United (three draws, 12 defeats).
Xavi has 'zero doubts' over Araujo's Barcelona future
Ronald Araujo’s Barcelona future is still undecided, but Xavi says he has "zero doubts" over the defender’s decision.
The Uruguayan has been offered a contract extension to keep him at the club beyond 2026, but Araujo is yet to sign it.
This season, he has made 36 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, though he dropped to the bench for their win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Asked about Araujo’s future on Wednesday, Xavi said: "I talk a lot with Araujo, and he knows what I think. There are zero doubts about his future on my side.
"He knows what I want for his future. I always try to speak honestly and sincerely and he’s happy here."
Reports suggest that Bayern Munich and Manchester United are interested in signing Araujo if he does decide to leave Barcelona.
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