Paris Saint-Germain have completed the transition from Christophe Galtier to Luis Enrique after a protracted search for the Frenchman’s replacement.
Speaking at his unveiling as the club’s new manager, Enrique pointed out that he is uncompromising about attacking football and will whip the PSG dressing room into shape to play that kind of football.
“The attacking identity is non-negotiable — it’s my philosophy,” Luis Enrique said during his presentation on Wednesday. “You have to adapt to your players, my job is to get the best out of my players individually and collectively.
“I am committed to putting a winning team together and I have no doubt that I will be able to do that and give PSG fans something they will like.”
Enrique was most recently the manager of the Spain national football team but was axed from the role following their exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the round of 16 stage thanks to a penalty shootout loss to Morocco.
Before that, he got them to the final of the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League where they ended up as runners-up after losing to France, and got them to the semi-finals of the 2020 UEFA European Championship where they lost to eventual winners Italy on penalties.
At the club level, he is a serial winner who is also one of the few managers to have won an European treble.
All of these experiences counted in his favour as the Qatar Sports Group, led by Nasser Al-Khelaifi searched for a manager to replace Galtier, whose squad handling cost him the option of a second year at the club.
Enrique’s appointment could also be a soothing balm for Neymar who has all but zoned out of the club. The Brazilian wants out but reuniting with a manager who he played some of his best football under could help him settle in the midst of the transfer storm that is brewing in his backyard.
Enrique’s major headache, however, will be the Kylian Mbappe case which has turned ugly in the past few days.
The French forward and the club’s president are currently at loggerheads over his continuity at the club. Mbappe wants to leave PSG for free but the club is insistent on not letting him do that, with Al-Khelaifi confidently stating that “the club cannot lose the best player in the world for free. It is impossible.”
The mandate is now for Mbappe to sign a new contract to remain at PSG for this season. If he does not sign in the coming weeks, an exit plan will be found, which could include the player buying out his contract himself to become a free agent.
Enrique, who will be licking his lips at the prospect of managing Mbappe, will have to tackle this problem head on as the new season approaches.
