London: Arsenal are confident they could beat Chelsea to the appointment of Luis Enrique — if they decide to make him first choice to replace Arsene Wenger.
Enrique is among a list of names Arsenal are working through since Wenger announced his decision to step down as manager at the end of the season. The Spaniard is the early favourite to replace the Frenchman.
Chelsea had been expected to replace Antonio Conte with Enrique in the summer, but revaluated their options after discovering his wage demands of around pounds 15 million (Dh76.8 million) a year. That could yet put off Arsenal, although there is an expectation that, wherever Enrique resumes his career, he will have to accept a lower salary now Paris St-Germain have chosen Thomas Tuchel as their next manager.
Enrique remains very much on Chelsea’s list but they also have other targets — including Mauricio Pochettino, Maurizio Sarri, Max Allegri and Leonardo Jardim.
Jardim is also on Arsenal’s list, along with former captain Mikel Arteta. They are not expected to go for an Italian, which would rule out Allegri or Sarri.
Arsenal want their next man to bring back the stay-away fans and re-energise the Emirates. There is a feeling that Allegri would not fit that brief, while Sarri’s character is thought to be an issue.
Despite the fact that Chelsea would be able to offer Enrique a bigger transfer budget and a better squad to work with, Arsenal believe they have a trump card in the form of head of football relations, Raul Sanllehi, who worked with Enrique at Barcelona.
Arsenal are not expected to be in a position to make an appointment until next month. Head of recruitment Sven Mislintat is a big fan of Hoffenheim’s Julian Nagelsmann and Schalke’s Domenico Tedesco, but both men would represent something of a gamble, as they are aged just 30 and 32.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are ready to resist all offers for striker Alvaro Morata and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, unless either of them express a desire to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
