Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that he has held talks with Luis Enrique about the club’s potential coaching vacancy. Current team manager Luciano Spalletti is stepping down soon and Napoli will need a quality replacement. However, the exec has claimed that Enrique still has eyes on the Premier League.
“He is a great coach. He has done very well at Barcelona, but I think he has the Premier League in mind,” De Laurentiis told Italian broadcasting company Rai. “It must be remembered that we compete with many leagues that are more attractive than ours, like the English one.”
Luis Enrique still heavily linked with Premier League club
Enrique has not managed a team since departing the Spain national side during the World Cup. The coach stepped down from the position after a disappointing showing at the tournament. Morocco knocked out Enrique’s Spain on penalties at the 2022 World Cup in the round of 16. Nevertheless, the former Barca boss is a name swirling around many managerial vacancies.
Premier League duo Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been widely reported to be interested in Luis Enrique. The Blues, however, recently appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their team’s manager. This leaves Spurs as a potential landing spot for the Spanish coach.
The north London outfit still expresses interest in Enrique. Yet, the club awaits a final decision, which may take time. One hurdle is Spurs’ task of appointing a new director of football. As of now, that is the club’s top priority. Along with Enrique, Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou is also a reported top target for the managerial position.
Spalletti leaves after Serie A triumph
Surprisingly, Napoli has a coaching vacancy despite collecting the Serie A title this season. Luciano Spalletti recently announced that he will take a year off after winning the elusive trophy. De Laurentiis has even labeled Spalletti a “free man” in his aforementioned interview. The Italian coach will be on the sidelines for Napoli’s final match of the season on Sunday.
PHOTO: IMAGO / ANP
