Former Barcelona and Spain manager Luis Enrique’s prospects of becoming Chelsea’s next manager appear to have dwindled, according to recent reports. While he initially impressed during his visit to London for talks with the club, further meetings have been scheduled with Julian Nagelsmann and Mauricio Pochettino, placing them ahead of him in the race for the position. The development paves the way for Spurs to make a move for Enrique.
Two weeks ago, Luis Enrique was in London for talks with Chelsea regarding the vacant managerial position. While he made a positive impression on the club’s hierarchy, it appears he has now dropped down the list of potential candidates. The Telegraph reported that the club will be holding further discussions with Nagelsmann and Pochettino, who are now seen as the favourites to land the job.
The development comes as a blow to Luis Enrique’s aspirations of managing in the English Premier League. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s search for a new manager continues as they seek a replacement for Thomas Tuchel, who guided them to Champions League glory before being sacked a few days later.
With Nagelsmann set to join Bayern Munich at the end of the season, Pochettino could emerge as the leading contender for the Chelsea job. However, the situation remains fluid, and it is unclear who will eventually land the job.
The search for Chelsea’s next manager is still ongoing, and recent reports suggest that Luis Enrique is no longer among the favourites to fill the vacant position. According to The Telegraph, the former Barcelona and Spain boss had impressed the Chelsea hierarchy during his talks with the club two weeks ago, but he has since fallen down the pecking order. This development has opened up a clear path for Julian Nagelsmann, the 35-year-old German who had his first interview with the Blues last week and reportedly came across well.
Further talks are expected with Nagelsmann, while Chelsea is also considering a move for Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham boss who has been out of work since June 2022. Pochettino was contacted by Chelsea following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel in September and fresh talks with him are expected. However, there is currently no clear favourite for the position.
The club’s cooling of their interest in Luis Enrique may have opened up a clear path for Tottenham to find their Antonio Conte successor. The north London club is thought to have already made contact with the Spaniard and could ramp up their efforts to bring him in while the Blues are focused on other targets.
Chelsea is looking to have a new manager in place by the end of the season, following examples set by Manchester United in affording a new manager a full pre-season with the squad. Frank Lampard is currently serving as the interim manager, but the club hierarchy wants to finalize the appointment before the end of the current campaign. The Blues are hoping for a successful appointment that will improve the team’s performances, given their recent poor run of results under Lampard.
