Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has been tipped to be the successor of Antonio Conte at Chelsea, who is likely to be sacked this month.
Luis Enrique’s name surfaces yet again in Chelsea’s managerial Whac-a-mole as the former Barcelona manager is now being earmarked as the likely replacement for Antonio Conte. The Italian is expected to be sacked this month, following a series of controversies and lack of consistency throughout the course of the 2017-18 season.
The London giants were previously linked with moves for Maurizio Sarri and Laurent Blanc but according to latest reports from Spanish news outlet Sport, Luis Enrique is now in pole position to take over the reins at Chelsea this summer. In fact, the Catalonian source believes that the Spaniard could be appointed as Chelsea boss in the coming days.
Luis Enrique, who is jobless since leaving FC Barcelona at the end of the 2016-17 season, was also linked with a move to Arsenal. The Gunners, however, have hired former PSG manager Unai Emery as Arsene Wenger’s successor, making the road clear for Chelsea to appoint the 48-year-old. The former Barcelona manager could fit the bill perfectly as a young coach, who has shown massive potential.
Luis Enrique achieved great success during his time with Barca, winning a treble in his debut season, which was the last time any European club managed the feat so far. He also helped the club secure a double in the following season and a Spanish cup in his final season.
Therefore, Luis Enrique is definitely no stranger when it comes to winning silverware, making him a perfect fit for an ambitious club like Chelsea.
Following their super impressive title-winning campaign last season, the Blues have had to deal with a series of off-field issues which was coupled with their lack of form on the domestic front, ultimately leading to their demise this season. However, club owner Roman Abramovic reportedly opened up about his ambition of seeing his team play tiki-taka football, just like FC Barcelona and in that regard, no other manager fits the bill as well as Luis Enrique, at least among the ones that are available.
The 48-year-old is one of the few managers in Europe, who not only prefers playing “Juego de posicion(positional play)” but also has the intelligence to utilize it in a perfect fashion. During his time with Barcelona, the former Celta Vigo boss reinvigorated the struggling Catalan midfield as he utilized the qualities of their midfielders to form a chain, which helped them dominate their opposition.
Blessed with a great deal of tactical understanding, Luis Enrique is no doubt, one of the most promising managers in Europe at the moment and his appointment at Chelsea could potentially reinvigorate the Blues as they look to challenge the top brass in the Premier League once again next season.