One of the names doing the rounds in connection with Manchester United this summer is Luis Enrique, currently in charge at PSG.
The pressure is on Ineos to make the right call when it comes to their next manager, especially after a season that hasn’t met expectations.
Michael Carrick still has 15 games left in his interim spell, but back-to-back wins over Manchester City and Arsenal have raised questions about whether he could stay on full-time.
Gary Neville has weighed in though, saying that even if results go well, Carrick should step aside so the club can bring in someone with more experience.
Luis Enrique’s approach seems like it would fit well at United. He’s had success wherever he’s gone, and now it’s up to Ineos to see if they can lure him away from Paris for a new challenge in England.
Where Luis Enrique stands on taking a job in the Premier League
Luis Enrique has an impressive list of clubs and national teams on his CV, including Barcelona, Spain, and Paris Saint-Germain. He won the Champions League with both Barcelona and PSG.
During a recent episode of the Talk of the Devils podcast, Andy Mitten mentioned that he helped connect Manchester United with Luis Enrique back in 2022 when they were considering candidates for the manager’s role.
“I put him in touch with Manchester United in April 2022 because my opinion of him couldn’t be higher as a coach,” Mitten said.
“I know someone who knows him very well, and I made some phone calls, and Luis Enrique was the coach of Spain and it was in a World Cup year.
“I interviewed him at his house. Incredible character, absolutely top grade. Two of the best hours of my life and as a human he is an incredible person.
“I’m not surprised that he has done very well as a coach. I’ve got no current inclination as to whether he wants to manage in the Premier League. But he certainly wanted to at one point. When he stopped playing, he put a cap on and sort of travelled around going to different games and stuff like that.
“Back to April 2022, Manchester United were already quite far down the road with Erik Ten Hag and that’s the line that they went with.”
Ineos should look to Luis Enrique this summer
At the moment, it would be hard to justify leaving Carrick out of the running for United’s next manager.
He’s looked strong since coming back into the fold, and he’s already put United in a strong position to clinch a Champions League spot.
Keeping that form going is now Carrick’s biggest test. If Ineos do decide on a change this summer, it should only be for someone with a clear track record of success – and that’s exactly what Enrique offers.
Enrique has proven himself at every stop along his career, and his time at PSG is no exception. He cleared out egos from the squad and built a side that won the club’s first Champions League title.
His approach is built on quick, forward-thinking play, using speed on the counter-attack to break down teams. While he might not have Premier League experience yet, his standing across Europe more than makes up for it.
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