Luis Enrique is the leading candidate to replace Arsene Wenger due to the Spaniard’s experience and, most importantly, his availability. However, his demands could put his Emirates Stadium arrival at risk.
As written by the Sun, the former Barcelona boss is demanding a huge transfer chest to revamp the struggling Gunners squad. The amount is approximately $276m, which is an extreme budget for a frugal team.
This will be a curveball for the north London giant given that they are reportedly willing to hand their next manager a humble transfer chest in line with their spending policy. It remains unclear whether the Premier League side will go ahead with their Enrique interest regardless of this demand.
The Asturian tactician has one goal in mind should he take over: revamping the squad. According to the article, only Arsenal’s current attackers – Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – will be safe should the 47-year-old.
The Spaniard intends on overhauling the defense and midfield while also replacing Petr Cech in goal. While this move might be welcomed by the fans, he would likely face resistance from the board.
Radja Nainggolan will be on Luis’ wish list, but the treble winner might struggle to land his targets. The Sun claims that transfers will now be controlled by the club’s higher-ups, with Raul Sanllehi likely to have the most say.
Then there is the fact that Enrique wishes to be paid wages similar to that of Wenger. The Gunners might have to loosen their purse strings or they might miss out on the Champions League winner.
