ESPN journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray has been left in disbelief as Chelsea cool their interest in former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique.
What’s the latest on Enrique to Chelsea?
The 52-year-old has been on Todd Boehly’s radar since the west Londoners opted to dismiss former manager Graham Potter at the start of April.
Enrique is also reliably believed to have even flown to England for talks with Chelsea recently, coming as the club step up their pursuit of a new manager.
Frank Lampard has been placed in temporary charge until the end of the Premier League campaign, a tenure which has gone disastrously thus far with still no victory since taking the hot seat.
Out of the Champions League and with zero chance of clinching silverware, it’s back to the drawing board for Boehly with managers high on the agenda.
Enrique was thought to be among the primary contenders to take over at Chelsea alongside former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, with the latter sacked unceremoniously despite leading his former club to a Champions League quarter-final.
Now, though, according to a report by The Telegraph, Chelsea have apparently cooled their interest in Enrique – with the Champions League winner not among Boehly’s main contenders for the role.
Reacting to this news, Echegaray has been left surprised – explaining that Enrique could be ‘perfect’ for the job.
Taking to social media, he explained:
Instead of the former Spain boss, it is believed that Nagelsmann and former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino are set for further talks and Boehly has even already been ‘impressed’ with the latter coach.
Should Chelsea turn away?
Enrique has plenty of credentials and arguably far more than some other names to have been linked.
Indeed, the former Celta Vigo boss holds multiple league titles alongside a Champions League winners medal – all while encouraging a possession-based, attack-minded style of football.
His status as a free agent stands out as yet another incentive for Chelsea to make a move for him, so The Telegraph’s update does indeed come as a surprising one.
Perhaps it was Enrique’s lack of experience in England which ultimately lead to this decision, but one way or another, some supporters will be disappointed.