Luis Enrique is among the contenders to become the permanent head coach of Manchester United this summer.
Ineos will have their work cut out to convince Luis Enrique to jump ship from Paris Saint-Germain to take charge at Old Trafford, though.
Enrique’s style of play is ideal for United and the attacking intent that supporters want to see, and his experience of managing European giants makes him a top contender for the job.
His CV includes spells in charge of Barcelona, PSG and the Spanish national team. Enrique has been a success wherever he has gone.
Luis Enrique on the sidelines as PSG manager facing Arsenal.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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Luis Enrique is a head coach, not a manager
Ruben Amorim’s sacking at United came just hours after he claimed he was the manager of Manchester United, not the head coach.
“I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear,” Amorim said in his final press conference.
In reality, Ineos hired Amorim as a head coach, and it has been made clear that whoever succeeds him in the summer will have to accept a similar role.
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Interestingly, when Enrique joined Barcelona in 2014, it was made clear in the club statement that he was the “first-team head coach” as opposed to manager.
Similarly, at Paris Saint-Germain, Enrique was appointed into a “head coach” role in 2023.
Ineos want a head coach this summer who is happy to accept their responsibility with the first team but leave transfers and off-pitch matters to the club hierarchy. That is the exact blueprint that Enrique followed at Barcelona and PSG with huge success.
Should Luis Enrique be Manchester United’s top manager target in 2026?
Luis Enrique has been a success everywhere he has been…
Luis Enrique's managerial record.
Credit: Getty Images.
Why Ineos want a head coach and not manager at Man Utd
The difference between being a head coach and a manager of a football club is not just a linguistic difference, it reflects a change in responsibility.
Sir Alex Ferguson was a legendary manager at United, and the Scot was well-known for wanting to control every department at the football club.
READ MORE: Luis Enrique’s assistant manager record: Is there room for alternative Michael Carrick role at Man United?
In modern football, that structure has changed slightly and now many clubs are run with a footballing department responsible for transfer business and long-term planning, with a head coach solely responsible for performances and tactics.
Whoever is hired in the summer by United will be expected to work closely with sporting director Jason Wilcox. Amorim had a good relationship with Wilcox, but it broke down at the end of his tenure with Wilcox intervening with tactics.
A balance will need to be struck with the new head coach, but Enrique has been in a similar position at other clubs, making him a perfect fit for what Ineos want.
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