Luis Enrique has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Christophe Galtier as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach. The Ligue 1 champions have decided to part ways with Galtier after just one season, despite his success in delivering top-flight and Trophee des Champions titles to the club. Galtier's tenure saw PSG being eliminated in the last-16 of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
According to L'Equipe, PSG conducted an extensive search for a replacement and identified former Spain and Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique as their top choice. The club is now close to reaching an agreement with the 53-year-old manager. While some details still need to be finalized, PSG is confident of securing the deal and aims to announce Enrique as their new head coach within the week.
PSG had considered several top coaches for the position, including former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, who was initially seen as the frontrunner. Nagelsmann reportedly held positive talks with PSG's leadership in Doha but withdrew from the race due to disagreements over key details with the club.
Luis Enrique is viewed as an ideal candidate by PSG due to his experience in the Champions League, having previously won the competition with Barcelona. His tactical style and ability to manage a star-studded dressing room are considered valuable assets. PSG has accepted the conditions put forth by Enrique, understanding the urgency as there are only a few weeks remaining before the start of pre-season.
Enrique's most recent coaching experience was with the Spain national team, where he led them to the final of the Nations League and the semi-finals of the European Championship. Despite attracting interest from other prominent clubs like Napoli and Chelsea, the Gijón native took his time to consider offers, with PSG's offer being the most concrete and one he might ultimately accept.