LIGUE 1
How will Luis Enrique’s arrival at Paris Saint-Germain change Neymar’s future?
The Spanish coach and the Brazilian star spent three years together at Barcelona, winning the Champions League in 2015.
It has yet to be made official but Luis Enrique will become Paris Saint-Germain’s new head coach. On Sunday, final negotiations between the two parties took place and concluded with the Spaniard agreeing a two-year deal, with the option of an extra season. The former Barcelona boss will take over from the outgoing Christophe Galiter, with whom the club have yet to agree compensation, which is likely to amount to around €6 million ($6.55 million).
Luis Enrique’s arrival is a huge shot in the arm for PSG and president Nasser Al Khelaïfi. Having the ex-Spain coach in dugout should help the Ligue 1 champions attract new players more easily and could even turn around the fortunes of those who had appeared to be on the way out, such as Neymar and Marco Verratti.
PSG looking to sell Neymar
The Brazil star, who the Parisians have made clear is available for transfer on a couple of occasions, is set to be the biggest beneficiary of the change of coach. Neymar and Luis Enrique spent three years together at Barça, winning a historic treble (Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey) in 2014/15. Playing alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez as part of the famous ‘MSN’, the ex-Santos attacker established himself as one of the best players in the world before signing for PSG for €220 million ($240.3 million) in 2017.
Luis Enrique’s number one objective: Neymar
Luis Enrique has already began shaping his roster for next season. One of his primary objectives, as reported by L’Équipe and confirmed by AS, is to work with Neymar, which means the club’s Qatar owners may have to backtrack on their wishes to move him on. The former Barcelona forward is under contract until 2027 and his future could be about to change dramatically.
Verratti may well find himself in a similar position. PSG and Qatar haven’t hidden their willingness to listen to offers for the Italian, who performed inconsistently last season and was even singled out for criticism by the club’s ultras. However, Luis Enrique described the 30-year midfielder as “extraordinary” a few years ago, which suggests that he will want to have the final say when it comes to deciding when he stays or goes. Interesting times ahead behind the scenes in Paris.