Paris Saint-Germain confirm the appointment of Luis Enrique as their new manager

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the appointment of former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique as their new manager.

It comes after the club earlier confirmed the sacking of Christophe Galtier after just one season. 

Enrique has been out of work since leaving Spain at the end of the World Cup, and it is his first job in club management since his departure from Barcelona in May 2017.  

The Frenchman was reportedly dismissed soon after the end of the season, with the club linked with replacements throughout much of June. 

Galtier last just a season in charge after being hired in July 2022, although he did manage to win a Ligue 1 and Trophee des Champions double in that time. 

Christophe Galtier has officially been sacked by PSG after his exit had been reported shortly after the end of the season

Galtier guided PSG to a Ligue 1 title in his first season in charge in the French capital 

The club acknowledged his success and professionalism’ during his season in charge in a statement, which read: ‘At the end of 2022-2023, Paris Saint-Germain and Christophe Galtier have decided to end their first-team coaching contract.

‘The Club would like to emphasise his professionalism and commitment, which enabled the Rouge & Bleu to win a historic eleventh French Championship title as well as the Trophy des Champions.’

It was a trying stint as PSG boss for the former Lille coach, who had to contend with a dressing-room including some of the biggest personalities in the game at a club with huge pressure to succeed.

Despite his domestic successes, Galtier’s tenure will likely be judged on his Champions League performance, with chiefs at the French club famously determined to lift club football’s premier trophy.  

The French giants were halted in the last-16 after a 3-0 aggregate win for Bayern Munich, dumping PSG out of the competition early on.

There were also numerous off-field issues during Galtier’s tenure, namely Lionel Messi’s unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia during the Ligue 1 run-in. 

The Argentine was reportedly also embroiled in a bitter training ground dispute with his boss, leaving a March training session early after refusing to participate in an exercise, adding to the increasingly tense relationship.

The Ligue 1 title papered over cracks at the club, with PSG beginning 2023 in very poor fashion as they were dumped out of both the French Cup and the Champions league by the middle of February, winning only four times in 11 games.

Having made his name as one of the most flexible tacticians in France, he struggled to impose a clear style and philosophy on the side. 

Galtier was said to have endured a strained relationship with star forward Lionel Messi

His tenure was characterised by attempts at playing in a 4-3-1-2, 4-4-2, 3-5-2 and a 4-1-3-2, with many holding the opinion that the strength of his squad won out where his tactics seemingly failed. 

His replacement, Enrique, will take charge that have been active in the transfer market already in a bid to overhaul their squad. 

The Spaniard is thought to be set to sign a two-year deal at the club, and will try and mend a fractured dressing room reeling from a series of damaging revelations. 

Over the past month, Kylian Mbappe has told PSG chiefs he intends to refuse a contract renewal and leave on a free transfer, Lionel Messi had a parting dig in his farewell messages after leaving the club and rumours of widespread unrest have left stars like Achraf Hakimi hankering for  a move away.

Last season’s roster included the likes of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in a dynamic front three, but the Argentine has now departed and the futures of the other two are still uncertain.

Off the pitch, Galtier was reportedly taken into custody at the end of June over allegations of discrimination during his time in charge of Nice, according to reports in France.

According to French television channel RMC Sport, Galtier and his adopted son John Valovic-Galtier, who also works as his advisor, were taken into police custody at 8:45am on Friday as part of an investigation into alleged discrimination at Nice.

The pair were said to have been summoned by investigators looking into accusations of racism at the Ligue 1 club.

French newspaper L’Equipe claim the pair are facing accusations of racism from ex-Nice sporting director Julien Fournier.

While at Nice, Galtier allegedly complained that Julien Fournier has assembled a squad with too many black and Muslim players

The former Nice boss and his adopted son John Valovic-Galtier are understood to be facing accusations of racism from ex-sporting director Julien Fournier (pictured)

Galtier denied the accusations in April ahead of the summons before Nice investigators 

Their report states that Galtier himself is alleged to have made ‘discriminatory, racist and Islamophobic remarks’ during his year at the club by Fournier. The latter is also said to have spoken in court last month.

Galtier is understood to have always firmly denied such accusations and has even filed a complaint.

Back in April, a leaked email published by French football reporter Romain Molina suggested Galtier is alleged to have made comments about having ‘too many black and Muslim players’ in his former team by Fournier.

Another report by local French media outlet Nice-Matin claimed that during a five-game winning streak, the coach asked Nice’s Muslim players not to observe Ramadan.