Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has reportedly asked the Chelsea board to agree three conditions for him to come on board as Graham Potter’s successor.
Chelsea dismissed Potter as manager on April 2, a day after the Blues had lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Potter, who was appointed as Thomas Tuchel’s successor in September, endured an abysmal spell in London, with his team slipping tp 11th place in the Premier League. The Pensioners are hunting for a successor, and according to Fichajes.net, Enrique has emerged as a candidate.
The Spaniard, who has been out of job since resigning as Spain’s coach after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, is interested in the Blues’ project. However, he has laid out three conditions in front of the Blues board before he takes charge of the club.
First, he wants Chelsea to give him three new, top-tier signings. He wants a mobile centre-forward, a midfielder who can lead the midfield alongside Enzo Fernandez, and a versatile winger who would enable him to try out different systems.
Second, he wants the club to give him enough time to instill his footballing philosophy. He reportedly believes that he could help the Blues fight for all trophies in a short while. Enrique wants the club to keep faith in his work and not make rash decisions like they have this season.
Lastly, Enrique wants to trim the squad as he sees fit. He does not want a large squad. He wants a tight one, consisting of high-quality players who add real value and provide results in the short term.
According to multiple reports, Julian Nagelsmann, Luciano Spaletti and Mauricio Pochettino are also being considered for the Stamford Bridge hot seat alongside the 2015 treble-winning Enrique.
Interim coach Bruno Saltor comments on Chelsea future
Interim coach Bruno Saltor took charge of the west London outfit for the first time as Liverpool came to town on Tuesday (April 4) night.
Although the game ended goalless, the hosts were easily the better of the two teams, ending the game with an xG of 2.17. Liverpool, meanwhile, finished with an xG rating of 0.35.
After the game, Saltor was asked whether he would remain in charge for Chelsea’s next game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Remaining coy, he replied (via football.london):
“As it stands, I expect to go home and rest and focus on day by day and the owners. They know that the staff are going to be the most professional we can, and we’re going to try to represent this club as best we can. We know the standards here. We know the demand, and that’s what we try to do all the time.”
Chelsea take on Wolves on Saturday (April 8) before travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu for their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg against holders Real Madrid four days later.