Arsenal have cooled their interest in appointing Luis Enrique as their new manager this summer. According to recent reports, the Gunners have stepped away from a move to make the Spaniard the managerial successor to Arsene Wenger. However, according to bookmakers’ odds, Enrique remains the favourite to succeed Wenger at the Emirates Stadium. Some sources are now claiming that the Gunners chiefs consider the former Barcelona boss an inappropriate fit for the managerial position at North London.
The 47-year-old is currently available and has spent a successful period of time with the Catalans in his last managerial stint. He has previously won two La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League during his time at the Nou Camp. However, it is believed that Enrique’s salary demands would be expensive as he is set to ask for more than what Arsene Wenger is currently earning. The Spanish manager is also being linked with a move to Chelsea to succeed Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge next season.
Enrique broke into the managerial scene after starting out as the head coach of the Barcelona B team. He has also previously managed Celta Vigo and AS Roma but is yet to gain any managerial experience in English football so far.
The Gunners have a tally of 57 points after playing in 35 league matches and are currently sitting in the 6th position in the top-flight standings. All of Wenger’s hopes of a successful season rests on their performance in the UEFA Europa League with a season-defining away encounter against Atletico Madrid looming on the horizon.
The departure of Wenger this summer after 22 years at the club will be a big change for the North Londoners to cope with, which means that Arsenal needs to assess and hire his successor who is capable enough to lead them back to the top of English football. Enrique took charge of 181 matches for Barcelona during his time at the Nou Camp, winning 138, drawing 22 and losing 21 of those matches with a healthy Points Per Game (PPG) average of 2.41 (According to Transfermrkt).
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The Spaniard is highly experienced at the top level which makes him a worthy candidate for the role to succeed Wenger at Arsenal. However, he is yet to experience the physicality and high intensity of Premier League football which would argue against such an appointment. It remains to be seen what lies ahead in the future of Enrique and whether he ends up taking charge of the Gunners next season.
