Luis Enrique appears set on joining a Premier League club this summer after turning down the chance to take over at Napoli.
The Serie A champions are on the search for a new boss with current manager Luciano Spalletti set to leave after this weekend. Spalletti has led Napoli to their first Scudetto since 1990 this season but is expected to depart the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is now lining up potential replacements, with Enrique's name having been discussed. But the former Barcelona boss appears to have made it clear that he is targeting a move to a Premier League club instead.
"He's a great coach, he did very well at Barcelona, but I think he has the Premier League in mind , it should be remembered that we compete with championships that are more attractive than ours, such as the English one," De Laurentiis told RAI.
"I can tell you that there is no Gulf there and the food is not as good as we do, but more than this. We are evaluating coaches for the 4-3-3 with our extraordinary players who we want to keep. I have evaluated a dozen profiles who can try their hand at this module.
"I will choose the best to continue the cycle. I I still want to sow and I need the support of all Neapolitans. When one creates a change there may be moments that shouldn't scare, because everything is needed to improve.
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"So we will go on being the only football team that has been in Europe for 14 years and this says a lot about the choice of the many coaches. My advantage is that I don't know how to play football, but I know how to be an entrepreneur.
"I don't get carried away by sentimentality, but I have to be rational to the max and I have to verify, speaking and understanding with everyone, what is happening. Of course I can also be wrong. We have made few mistakes and I hope that this time too we will hit the mark."
The news that Enrique has rejected approaches from Napoli will delight Tottenham fans, with the club still searching for a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte. Several potential targets have rejected Spurs, though Enrique remains available.
And Enrique has already received the backing of former Premier League star Luis Garcia. The Liverpool icon urged Spurs to make the former Barcelona manager their top target as they search to end their long trophy drought.
"I would straight away go for Luis Enrique. I think it’s a great job to arrive there, despite everything that has happened for many years. I still think it’s a fantastic club," Garcia told ESPN.
“Luis Enrique has got everything to be successful there. He’s got that energy. He has got that attitude. He is ready to fight. I think he has the experience to build something very unique at Tottenham, so it could be a fantastic choice."
