Luis Enrique seems to be the next high-profile manager ready to leave Barcelona following a small stint at the club. He’s been there for three seasons; has won all the trophies he can win and is looking to move on.
There’s only so much you can do with Barcelona – at least till Lionel Messi is still playing – and the Catalan man feels he’s achieved all of what he could in the time he’s spent at the Camp Nou.
A new challenge is exactly what he’ll fancy in his career but he’ll heed the warning of Pep Guardiola and could choose a project he believes is capable of fighting for silverware as soon as possible.
We look at five such clubs that Luis Enrique can manage after he chooses to leave Barcelona:
#5 AC Milan
Milanese giants, AC Milan, haven't quite been the same since the times of Carlo Ancelotti, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Thiago Silva. They're fighting to win back that reputation but their project just isn't worthy of being mentioned with some of the best in Europe.
But that could change. Milan are on an upward curve with their acquisitions in recent seasons and finally look like the side on the brink of breaking back into UEFA Champions League qualification territory.
And for Luis Enrique, it could provide to be the perfect platform for him to demonstrate his excellent managerial skills. He's got the reputation for being someone who is a no-nonsense, direct and frank man. And that's exactly what AC Milan need: a manager who can come in, point out the flaws, have the reputation for demanding changes and enforcing a whole new style that could revolutionise the team for the better.
#4 Borussia Dortmund
For all the hard work he's done for the club in the past two seasons, Thomas Tuchel has failed to live up to the expectations his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, set at the Signal Iduna Park. With his side already 12 points behind league leaders, Bayern Munich, Tuchel will come under serious pressure at the club should he finish anywhere below second.
And should the club decide Tuchel to be a failed experiment, Luis Enrique would prove to be an incredible upgrade. The Spaniard will inherit one of Europe's youngest squads capable of reaching their heights within their next two years – a realistic target for him to start achieving success with the club.
Luis Enrique's style of direct football has all the right kind of players at Dortmund. Strong commanding central midfielders who can pass well, incredibly fast forwards capable of scoring at well and a well-drilled solid defence holding the fort. All they need is the right orchestrator. Luis Enrique is that man with the stick.
#3 Inter Milan
What were the odds that both Milanese giants would be struggling at the same time? Traditionally, one of them are the underdogs. Luis Enrique, however, could change that rhetoric and could finally lift one of them over the other for the first time in years.
Inter haven't had the best seasons – one that began with cautioned optimism. All the talks of the 'great hope’ have faded into nothing but faded banners and disgruntled season-ticket holders. The club is craving for a strong character to come in and lift the club to the heights they experienced under Jose Mourinho.
While Luis Enrique might not be able to give them just that right away, he could pave the way for it in the near future. The squad needs a lot of repairing and the Spaniard can introduce some tough no-nonsense tacts to ensure they're able to punch above their weight when needed.
#2 Paris Saint-Germain
Perhaps the safest option on this list is the Parisian giant, Paris Saint-Germain. Much like how Pep Guardiola played it with Bayern Munich, Luis Enrique can step into Paris knowing very well half his work is already done.
A Ligue 1 title shouldn't be too tough for him but the challenge lies in the UEFA Champions League and he has the kind of experience of dealing with teams who've won the competition before. He did with FC Barcelona and could very well guide the Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain to their first ever European platinum triumph.
With the kind of squad already at his disposal, it seems likely that should he be offered the job, he can succeed without too much of a problem. They have the best forward line and midfield in the whole of France and he can concentrate on their efforts in Europe.
#1 Arsenal
Perhaps the most talented sleeping giant in all of Europe is English Premier League's North London darling, Arsenal. The Gunners have built quite the reputation under current manager Arsene Wenger and while they've shown progress in the last couple of years winning the FA Cup twice, they're still short when it comes to winning the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
Some believe all the Gunners need is change. A new face at the head, new motivations and a whole new outlook to the way they approach the domestic league. Luis Enrique will be walking into the fourth richest team in the world with one of the most talented squads not just in England but in the whole of Europe.
We've seen what Antonio Conte is able to achieve with a plan and a good squad. Arsenal have the latter but need someone to come in and shake things up: enforce a new style and disrupt the league. That word is the one word that the Gunners need the most: disruption.
Everyone's too safe, everything's too much the same and it's getting mundane. Luis Enrique will be fresh blood in a team waiting to explode with life.
Also Read: Luis Enrique has chosen his successor at Barcelona - Reports
