JUST IN: Chelsea hold ‘face-to-face’ talks with 52 year old manager at Stamford Bridge
Before Frank Lampard was officially named the caretaker manager at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea had “face to face” discussions with former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
The permanent position at Chelsea has been strongly linked to the 52-year-old Spaniard, but Lampard will serve as captain for the remainder of the campaign in West London.
Most recent Chelsea news – manager’s most recent
Graham Potter, who was fired by Chelsea after a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, will be replaced by club icon Lampard, who will return to the bench at Stamford Bridge for a second term, according to Sky Sports.
‘We are happy to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge,’ the Blues’ co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said in a statement posted on their official website describing their most recent choice. Frank is a club legend and a member of the Premier League Hall of Fame. While we continue our comprehensive and exhaustive search for a permanent head coach, we want to give the club and our supporters a clear and stable strategy for the remainder of the season.
However, it looks like Chelsea is still looking for a long-term leader to guide the team ahead. According to reports, the Blues are reportedly interested in former Spanish managers Julian Nagelsmann and Enrique.
Enrique has reportedly contacted Chelsea and made an impression on their leadership during initial negotiations, according to The Independent.
Sky Sports claims that he recently visited London and continued his discussions with the Chelsea board while they look for a long-term replacement.
Simon Phillips’ opinion on Luis Enrique was what?
Journalist Phillips thinks Enrique will want to wait before making a choice about his future, despite the club being “impressed” with his ideas after a “face-to-face interview.”
Phillips told GMS, “I had that confirmed; he did have a face-to-face interview with Chelsea this week. His agents had already provided Chelsea an amazing presentation of his concepts and goals prior to this. He accepted Chelsea’s invitation to an interview in London, which was favorably received by both parties. Enrique obviously wants to take his time with this decision, and Chelsea were impressed with him as well as with the initiative and what they wanted to do.
Will Enrique make a decent Chelsea successor over the long term?
Enrique has the qualities to be a solid permanent hire at Stamford Bridge, but it’s still unclear whether the two of them will be able to come to terms and share the same goals for the team’s future.
The 52-year-stint old’s at Barcelona, where he won two La Liga championships, three Copa del Rey trophies, the Champions League crown in 2015, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish Super Cup, is what makes him most famous, said Transfermarkt.
Enrique has the winning attitude to fit a supportive Chelsea fan base. He earned the 2015 FIFA World Coach of Men’s Football award while coaching at Barcelona Camp Nou.
After a tumultuous time on the field, Enrique seems to be a promising contender to offer the Blues long-term stability going forward.