Luis Enrique is close to signing a new contract with Paris St-Germain, which will disappoint a number of Premier League clubs who have shown interest in the 55-year-old Spaniard.
Talks have progressed positively on a deal, with Enrique making it clear he wants to stay at PSG who he led to victory in the Champions League last season and who are in the semi-finals this year.
Enrique, who speaks English, has shown interest in coaching in the Premier League in the past and clubs including Manchester United have closely monitored his intentions this season.
He is regarded as arguably the most in-demand coach in world football having successfully managed Barcelona, where he also won the Champions League in 2015, and helped transform PSG into the most dynamic team in Europe.
At PSG he oversaw the switch away from expensive, established world superstars such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi to create a younger, exciting team.
Messi had already decided to leave PSG before Enrique was appointed and might have stayed, having worked with him successfully at Barcelona.
One of his biggest success stories has been the transformation of Ousmane Dembélé from an erratic and at times ill-disciplined winger to a central striker who won the Ballon d’Or and is renowned for his incredible work-rate.
Enrique has an extremely strong relationship with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the PSG president, and also works well with Luís Campos, the club’s sporting director.
The expectation is that Enrique will extend his stay at PSG until 2029 with the option for a further 12 months. His current contract runs until June 2027 and while there is no hurry to secure a new deal, both parties are happy and keen to finalise his future.
Last month, amid reports linking Enrique to United, he said: “I am so happy at Paris St-Germain. Ici c’est Paris [This is Paris].” He joined PSG in July 2023 on an initial two-year deal having been shortlisted by Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur earlier that year. United have also considered him in the past.
At that time, the former Spain coach said, “I have a special attraction – I would like to go to England to work” and claimed he followed the Premier League even more closely than Spanish football.
Enrique has an outstanding record at PSG and certainly in the Champions League against English sides having defeated Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in the competition last season. This week, PSG beat Liverpool to knock them out having also won the first leg of their quarter-final in Paris.