Arsenal senior executives consider Luis Enrique an ‘inappropriate fit’ for the club, and are turning to a number of others, including Maurizio Sarri, to replace Arsene Wenger.
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In recent days Enrique started to look like the clear leading candidate for the job. He is available, he has experience, and managing Barcelona isn’t bad preparation for managing Arsenal stylistically-speaking either.
The Times say Arsenal are now turning away from the Spaniard though. They claim the 47-year-old is too ‘expensive’ and ‘self-absorbed’ for the job. He’s much more likely to take over at Chelsea as a result.
Instead, one of the leading names for the North London job is apparently Napoli manager Sarri. Like Arsenal, Napoli have a restricted budget when compared with the league leaders. Nonetheless, the 59-year-old is leading them on a title charge, playing attractive football.
The only problem is that the manager doesn’t speak English, and can be combative in press conferences. That could be a problem managing Arsenal.
According to The Times, there are as many as 10 other names on the Arsenal shortlist at the moment. That’s plenty to choose from, but they need to narrow it down quickly. The season ends in less than three weeks even if the team make the Europa League final.
Click ‘Next’ for the other managers The Times name on Arsenal’s shortlist
Max Allegri
Allegri is currently the manager of Juventus, but he admitted previously that he wants to move abroad when he leaves the Old Lady.
The media have linked him with Arsenal and Chelsea a lot in the past. Allegri may, however, find the stability on offer at Arsenal a far more attractive proposition than moving to a club that likes to sack managers the season after they win the Premier League.
PSG are also interested in signing the manager to replace Unai Emery, who is expected to be sacked at the end of the season. Recently though, the French side seem to be turning to former Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel.
Allegri, 50, has had a lot of success in Italy in recent years. He led Milan to a Serie A title and a Supercoppa Italiana in 2011. Then he joined Juventus and won three Serie A titles, three Coppa Italias, one Suppercoppa Italiana and reached the Champions League final twice. There could be more to come before this season is up as well.
If he could achieve anything like that with Arsenal, he’d be a massive success.
Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti has a massive amount of experience, having managed Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The Italian manager has also been very successful in picking up trophies. He lifted at least one with all of the above clubs, including the Champions League on three different occasions.
He also won the league with four of his last five clubs, only failing to do so with Madrid.
Since joining Chelsea in 2009, his win ratio with each club has never been less than 60%. Wenger’s current ratio with Arsenal is 57%.
The Gunners have already lost more games this season than Ancelotti lost in his entire spell with Bayern Munich. Although, in fairness, that isn’t saying much.
Ancelotti is currently on a leave of absence from management, after leaving Bayern Munich in September.
He should be available this summer.