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Manchester United’s pursuit of a new permanent manager may have just become a little more complicated. The Red Devils parted ways with former head coach Ruben Amorim in January and are looking for his permanent replacement.
The Portuguese was brought to Old Trafford by INEOS as Erik ten Hag’s successor in November 2024. Fresh from a highly fruitful four-year spell with Sporting, Amorim was expected to guide United back to glory, but it was not to be.
Instead, the Red Devils removed him from the hot seat at the Theatre of Dreams after a turbulent 14-month reign and appointed Michael Carrick as the caretaker manager until the end of the season. The Englishman has done a stellar job so far, registering seven wins and two draws in his 10 games in charge and helping the team climb up to third in the Premier League.
While there have already been calls to hand Carrick the full-time job, United are keeping their options open ahead of the summer, when a permanent appointment is expected. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Luis Enrique is reportedly among the candidates on INEOS’ wish list for the job.
A proven name in Europe
Enrique first rose to fame during his stint with Barcelona, where he helped the club win the treble in the 2014/15 campaign. The Spaniard departed the Catalans in the summer of 2017 to take charge of the Spain national team, having won nine trophies in three seasons at Camp Nou.
After two spells with La Roja, Enrique took a brief sabbatical before arriving at the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2023. Last season, the Spaniard helped the Parisians secure a historic treble, including the first Champions League trophy in their history.
Luis Enrique Managerial Stats
| Team | From | To | Games (G) | Wins (W) | Draws (D) | Losses (L) | Goals For (GF) | Goals Against (GA) | Goal Difference (GD) | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona B | 26 May 2008 | 8 June 2011 | 124 | 59 | 40 | 25 | 208 | 139 | +69 | 47.58 |
| Roma | 8 June 2011 | 13 May 2012 | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 64 | 59 | +5 | 40.48 |
| Celta | 8 June 2013 | 17 May 2014 | 40 | 15 | 7 | 18 | 50 | 58 | -8 | 37.50 |
| Barcelona | 19 May 2014 | 29 May 2017 | 181 | 138 | 22 | 21 | 519 | 147 | +372 | 76.24 |
| Spain | 9 July 2018 | 26 March 2019 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 75.00 |
| Spain | 19 November 2019 | 8 December 2022 | 39 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 76 | 28 | +48 | 51.28 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 5 July 2023 | Present | 161 | 109 | 29 | 23 | 393 | 156 | +237 | 67.70 |
| Total | – | – | 594 | 364 | 120 | 110 | 1,329 | 594 | +735 | 61.28 |
Source: Wikipedia.
Enrique’s winning pedigree and experience of managing high-profile players at both Barcelona and PSG make him a superb choice for the United job. Recent reports have also suggested that the Spaniard wants to manage a Premier League team, but the latest update could put a dent in the Red Devils’ plans.
Enrique set to extend Paris stay
According to The I paper, Enrique is all set to sign a new deal with PSG. The report states: “Sources in Paris are adamant that Enrique will sign a new deal at Paris Saint-Germain beyond his current contract, which expires in 2027.”
“Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who has been in and out of Qatar in recent weeks to keep his family safe from the conflict in neighbouring Iran, is also keen to secure Enrique’s long-term future.”
“The signing of Spanish wonderkid Dro Fernandez, ahead of a host of top European clubs was, sources said, a sweetener to keep Enrique believing PSG are fully behind his long-term project in the French capital.”
The report adds that United chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are keen to appoint Enrique. However, INEOS want to continue with Carrick if he manages to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Enrique’s future has also been linked with that of Pep Guardiola, with the report teasing the possibility of the PSG manager replacing his countryman at the Etihad in the future.
Final Thoughts
With Enrique unlikely to be available for consideration, the pool of managers available for United has further reduced. While the likes of Andoni Iraola, Roberto De Zerbi and Oliver Glasner are in the mix, one does wonder if the Red Devils would be better advised to stick with Carrick if he secures a top-four finish.
Featured image David Ramos via Getty Images
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