Luis Enrique has explained he made a phone call directly to David de Gea with the Spain boss in the frame to be appointed as the next Manchester United manager.
In the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ’s exit from United last November, Luis Enrique emerged as a major contender to potentially succeed the Norwegian in the role long-term at Old Trafford. Ajax coach Erik ten Hag is said to be a leading candidate for the role. Ten Hag, 52, met with United bosses last week to talk about becoming their new manager.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino is also in the frame. Pochettino had initially been the favourite for the United job, as revealed last month, with the Old Trafford hierarchy confident of landing their man. That revelation was later fleshed out by Mirror Football reporting that the Argentine was the preferred candidate among the players in United’s dressing room.
Yet Luis Enrique is held in the upmost regard in coaching circles, and it is little surprise he is being linked to the United post. He has built up an impressive CV in recent years and despite being contracted to the Spanish national team, may be seen as attainable by United should the role prove attractive to the boss.
He has a track record for making tough decisions on players and building a team in his own defined style – attributes that make him highly thought of in the Old Trafford corridors. However, the club appreciate that luring him away from his current post just months ahead of the World Cup makes him the least plausible of the current leading three candidates.
One of those tough decisions that Luis Enrique has taken in his role as La Roja boss has been in the goalkeeping department. With the nation’s highest profile goalkeepers, De Gea and Chelsea ’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, enduring prolonged slumps in form – the Spain coach looked for alternative. Kepa has been overlooked for selection for over a year, while De Gea is no longer number one for his nation.
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Indeed, the United goalkeeper was excluded entirely from the latest international squad. Athletic Club Bilbao shot-stopper Unai Simon is now Luis Enrique’s first choice in the position, with Brentford’s goalkeeper David Raya and Robert Sanchez of Brighton also selected for this month’s squad.
Luis Enrique explained in his post-match press conference following his nation’s win over Iceland on Tuesday that he had called De Gea to inform him why he was not included in the squad. “David, I want to try to other goalkeepers,” the boss claimed he had explained to him on the phone call and to “see” the next squad that is announced.
De Gea’s role with the national team has been significantly scaled back since 2020, when he made an error in Kiev in a match against Ukraine. The United goalkeeper slipped behind both Unai Simon and Robert Sanchez in the pecking order for Spain.
Former Barcelona midfielder Luis Enrique has guided La Roja to this year’s World Cup finals in Qatar, having coached them to the Euro 2020 semi-finals and last year’s Nations League final. His coaching career has previously encompassed spells at Celta Vigo, Roma and Barcelona – where he memorably won the treble, including the club’s last Champions League title, in 2015.
Luis Enrique is unlikely to walk away from the Spain national team post just months ahead of his first World Cup in the role, but links with a move to United may be tempting for him. He has a track record for making tough decisions on players and building a team in his own defined style – attributes that make him highly thought of in the Old Trafford corridors.
