The Ligue 1 champions are closing in on the appointment of former Spain and Barca coach Luis Enrique, after talks with Julian Nagelsmann collapsed.
According to French newspaper L'Équipe , PSG and Enrique still have a few small details to agree on before completing the deal. The Parc des Princes owner is speeding up the negotiation process to stabilize the squad, because PSG will enter the pre-season phase in just a few weeks.
Some other channels reported that PSG and Enrique are still negotiating about the assistant team and personal terms. The contract between the two sides is likely to be for two years.
Qatar's owners consider Enrique to be the ideal coach because of his experience in the Champions League, playing style and ability to manage stars in the dressing room.
Luis Enrique directs during the Spain - Morocco match in the round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar at Education City Stadium on December 6, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Icon Sport
The Spanish coach led Barca from 2014 to 2017, winning two La Ligas, three Copa del Reys, one Spanish Super Cup, one Champions League, one European Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. At that time, Barca had many stars such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Ivan Rakitic but there were no major conflicts.
Enrique's most recent job was leading the Spanish national team for two periods in 2018-2019 and 2019-2022. Enrique took over the national team from his former teammate Fernando Hierro after the defeat in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup. But a year later, he temporarily stepped down to be with his daughter Xanita, who was diagnosed with bone cancer in March 2019 and died five months later. Enrique returned to the helm in mid-November 2019 and was fired after the 2022 World Cup, where Spain lost to Morocco in the round of 16.
Over two periods, Enrique led the Spanish national team in a total of 47 matches, but only won 26, with a rate of 63.1%, drew 14 and lost 7 matches. His best achievements were leading the team to the final of the 2020-2021 Nations League, where Spain lost 1-2 to France, and to the semi-finals of Euro 2021, where the team lost to Italy on penalties.
Although not officially announced, PSG has fired coach Christophe Galtier. In the 2022-2023 season, PSG was eliminated early from the Champions League round of 16, the French Cup round of 16 and won Ligue 1 with one point more than runner-up Lens.
Julian Nagelsmann was PSG's top candidate, but the two sides failed to agree on key terms after two weeks of negotiations. As a result, the Ligue 1 champions will not sign the German coach.
Thiago Motta has since emerged as a strong candidate to take over at Parc des Princes and has held two positive talks with the board. The Italian international played for PSG from 2012–2018, holding the captain's armband for a long time, scoring 12 goals in 232 appearances, winning five Ligue 1s, four French Cups, four French League Cups and five French Super Cups. After retiring, he coached PSG's U19s, then moved to Genoa, Spezia and made a splash by helping Bologna finish ninth in Serie A in the 2022–23 season.
In addition, PSG also negotiated with Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Sergio Conceicao (Porto) or Marcelo Gallardo (former River Plate coach), but it seems that Enrique has been chosen. Previously, the Spanish coach rejected offers from Chelsea and current Serie A champions Napoli.
In parallel with finding a new coach, PSG is once again in trouble regarding the future of star Kylian Mbappe. The French striker has just announced that he will not renew his contract, forcing PSG to sell him in this summer transfer window or risk losing him for free next year.
Hong Duy
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