Updated: 26 May 2026 13:18 BST | 5 min read
Luis Enrique, Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele
© IMAGO
Tom Weber
Tom Weber | Writer
Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.
Luis Enrique is more renowned for his tactical acumen than his talent identification, but he has unearthed some absolute gems over the years.
The Spaniard has coached some of the best players in world football during his illustrious career in the dugout, particularly at his two most recent club jobs: PSG and Barcelona.
A treble winner with both, Enrique is now gunning for his second consecutive Champions League trophy with PSG. He has been able to build a team in his image and turned the Parisians from nearly-men into the dominant force in European football.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 56-year-old's 10 best signings...
Nolito - €4m (from Benfica, 2013)
Luis Enrique and former Man City forward Nolito go way back. The coach originally discovered the winger during his time at Barca Atletic and ended up signing him from Ecija Balompie in 2008.
When Enrique left for AS Roma in 2011, Nolito also departed, joining Benfica. Two years later, their paths crossed again, with the manager bringing his former protégé to Celta Vigo for €4 million.
Nolito bagged 14 goals during Enrique's only season in Galicia. He followed that up with another 25 over the subsequent two campaigns, which ended up earning him his €18m move to the Etihad.
Ivan Rakitic - €18m (from Sevilla, 2014)
Barcelona boasted the best midfield in world football in the early 2010s, but the Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets era was coming to an end in 2014, forcing Enrique to start succession-planning.
Ivan Rakitic became the heir-apparent to Xavi in 2014, who would depart Barcelona for Al-Sadd the following year. Rakitic had been outstanding for Schalke and Sevilla, but joining Barcelona for €18m to fill the shoes of a legend like Xavi was a tall task.
Ultimately, Rakitic never quite managed to reach the same levels, but he was nevertheless a very reliable servant to the Blaugrana. He made 51 appearances across all competitions during the treble-winning 2014/15 season.
He would return to Sevilla after six years at Barcelona, during which he made more than 300 competitive appearances.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen - €12m (from Gladbach, 2014)
The 2014 summer window was a prolific one for Enrique. Another successful acquisition was that of Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen for €12m. He replaced Victor Valdes.
However, the German did not immediately become Barcelona's No.1. Instead, he was effectively signed to be the Champions League goalkeeper. While Claudio Bravo started in LaLiga, Ter Stegen played every minute of Barcelona's successful European campaign.
He became the Blaugrana's undisputed starting goalkeeper in his third season with the club. He is still technically at Barcelona, having made 423 appearances, but his time at the club is clearly coming to an end after being shipped out on loan to nearby Girona.
Luis Suarez - €81.7m (from Liverpool, 2014)
Enrique's second-most-expensive signing ever also arrived during the 2014 summer window in the shape of Liverpool superstar Luis Suarez, who was signed despite being banned from all football-related activities after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup.
The Uruguay star cost a whopping €81.7m, which made him one of the most expensive players ever at the time of his move. Once his ban had expired, he quickly showed why he was so expensive.
Suarez was a crucial part of the dreaded MSN trio, alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar. He scored a scarcely believable 120 goals in 147 appearances under Enrique. He added another 75 before joining Atletico Madrid in 2020.
Ousmane Dembele - €50m (from Barcelona, 2023)
Enrique and advisor Luis Campos pulled off a masterstroke when they signed Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona for €50m in what was the coach's first window at PSG.
Because of constant injury problems, Dembele had struggled to live up to his initial €105m price tag after joining Barcelona. However, when PSG triggered his release clause, he was actually coming off a decent season, and the manner of his departure sparked some anger.
PSG didn't care, though, even if his first season at the club was unspectacular. Once Kylian Mbappe had departed for Real Madrid and Dembele became the main man, the France international exploded.
A winger by trade, Enrique used Dembele more centrally and gave him the freedom to drift all across the frontline, resulting in a Ballon d'Or-winning season as PSG claimed their first-ever Champions League.
Shortly after Dembele's arrival, another prodigious attacker was signed in the form of Bradley Barcola, who left boyhood club Lyon for €45m. Chelsea reportedly pulled out of a deal for the Frenchman after OL demanded a player in return.
The Blues' loss was PSG's gain. After showing some promise in his first season, he, too, exploded in his second, netting 21 goals across all competitions as part of that deadly attack with Dembele.
Joao Neves - €65.9m (from Benfica, 2024)
Joao Neves had emerged as one of the most promising midfielders in European football at Benfica, and PSG managed to win the race for his signature, despite strong interest from Man Utd.
The young Portuguese midfielder did not come cheap, costing a whopping €65.9m. However, he has been worth every penny. Alongside compatriot Vitinha, Neves has become one of the best midfielders in the world.
An energetic dynamo in the midfield of the park, Neves excels in all aspects of the game, both defensively and offensively. He even has a great leap on him despite standing at just 5 ft 9 in.
Willian Pacho - €40m (from Eintracht Frankfurt, 2024)
PSG didn't unearth Willian Pacho, but they were the first European giants willing to take a chance on his world-class potential after just one impressive season in the Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt.
He cost €40m, in line with Frankfurt's policy of buying low and selling high, but this fee is a bargain in hindsight. Pacho immediately slotted into the team and didn't look out of place.
The Ecuador international is ideal for Enrique's approach due to his excellent ability on the ball, while also being an assured defender. PSG spent ages trying to find the perfect partner for Marquinhos, and they finally found him in 2024.
Desire Doue - €50m (from Stade Rennais, 2024)
PSG completed their new look, post-Mbappe frontline with the signing of Stade Rennais wonderkid Desire Doue. There was a time when it looked like the versatile attacker could become a wayward, wasted talent.
However, PSG believed in his ability, and Doue made sure to repay that faith. An exceptionally talented player on the ball with a strong physique, Doue is nothing short of irresistible when he's on it.
He bagged 15 goals in the treble-winning 2024/25 campaign after joining for €50m, forming a remarkable attack with Dembele and Barcola and winning the Golden Boy award.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - €80m (from Napoli, 2025)
The mark of a good team is not resting on one's laurels, and this is certainly how PSG approached the January 2025 window after they failed to land Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the preceding summer.
Despite Barcola, Dembele and Doue combining exceptionally well together, PSG went and upgraded that frontline by adding the Georgian into the mix for an initial €70m. The fee has since risen to €80m due to his immediate impact in helping PSG win the Champions League.
Kvaratskhelia, who is at his most devastating when he can dribble down the left and cut inside to shoot, has pushed Barcola to the fringes and cemented his status as one of the best attackers in football today.
Tom Weber
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Tom Weber is an experienced, multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.
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