LUIS ENRIQUE REJECTS MANCHESTER UNITED INTEREST; DECLARES "ICI C’EST PARIS"
Luis Enrique has rejected Manchester United interest to stay at PSG, while Michael Carrick secures his fourth straight United win.
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique isn’t leaving any room for speculation about his future, even with Manchester United reportedly interested in bringing him to Old Trafford this summer. He’s on contract through 2027 and made it pretty clear he plans to stay right where he is. United, for their part, still need to pick a permanent manager when the season ends.
When reporters asked about the rumours linking him to United, Enrique didn’t dodge the question. He said he’s not thinking about leaving PSG, and there’s even talk he’s close to extending his deal. At his Monday press conference, he put it simply: “I am so happy at Paris Saint-Germain. Ici c’est Paris!” That’s about as direct as it gets.
Over at United, Michael Carrick is making a strong case to keep the job. United picked up their fourth win in a row by beating Tottenham 2-0 last weekend, and Carrick’s steady hand has people wondering if he’s the right guy long-term.
Carrick himself isn’t getting ahead of things. “Nothing’s changed, to be honest,” he said. “I know what my job is here and what’s expected. We want to win, and I want the club to keep winning, whether that’s with me or someone else in charge. Honestly, I can’t control what happens next. We’ll see, but my focus is on making United better. Good results in the short term don’t change that. If they did, something would be off. You can’t react to every high or low. I’m enjoying it here; I feel at home, but I know how these things go—I’m not getting carried away.”
While United fight to secure a top-four spot, PSG just keep rolling. They hammered Marseille 5-0 over the weekend and jumped back to the top of Ligue 1, two points clear of Lens. Luis Enrique was thrilled, but he still sees room for improvement. “We actually played an even better match in Lisbon, but lost 2-1. We created so many chances and hit the post four times. Still, this win matters for our confidence.”
He added, “It was almost perfect. We’re showing consistency, and the team are clicking—both as a group and as individuals. This is the best we’ve looked all season.”
Ousmane Dembélé, who scored twice in the big win, didn’t hold back either: “We wanted to make a statement—we’re back, and we’re hunting for trophies. The start of this season went well. Last year was much tougher. The important part of the season is coming, both in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Lens will be right there with us…”
Dembélé, clearly finding his groove, summed it up: “I feel better. I’m hitting my stride. It’s getting better all the time.”
SCHEDULE SHIFT: LIGUE 1 POSTPONES PSG VS NANTES TO FAVOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREPARATIONS
Ligue 1 has officially moved PSG’s clash with Nantes to April, giving Paris a massive rest advantage for their game vs Chelsea.
PSG just got a big break ahead of their Champions League clash with Chelsea.
On Friday morning, the draw handed last year’s winners a tough last-16 matchup against Chelsea, the same team that beat them in the Club World Cup final back in July.
Luis Enrique and Liam Rosenior probably hoped to avoid each other until later in the tournament. But here they are, set to meet again, having crossed paths before thanks to Rosenior’s time at Strasbourg. The first leg lands on March 11 in Paris, with the return in London on March 17.
Originally, both teams had league matches wedged between those two legs. But now, Ligue 1 has given PSG a helping hand. They agreed to move PSG’s game against Nantes so Paris can focus on the Champions League. According to a statement from Ligue 1, the PSG-Nantes match will now take place the week of April 20, with the exact date still up in the air.
No word yet on whether Chelsea will try to shift their own fixture pile-up. The Premier League rarely grants these sorts of requests, so don’t count on it. Still, with Chelsea set to play Newcastle, another Champions League side, on March 14, both clubs would probably love a schedule change if they had the option.
Looking at the schedules, Chelsea’s road looks brutal. Between their trip to Arsenal this Sunday and March 21, they’ll cram in seven games. After Arsenal, they go away to Aston Villa, Wrexham in the FA Cup, and then PSG. Four times in three weeks, they get just three days to recover. Only twice do they have a four-day breather.
PSG’s calendar is a lot kinder. From March 1 to March 22, they play just four times. They’ll have an extra day to get ready for the first leg with Chelsea and three more days to rest up for the second game in England. In fact, between now and March 11, PSG only play once. Chelsea, meanwhile, faces three matches before heading to Paris. That’s a big advantage for the French club.
ARSENAL NEWS: ARSENAL VIEW SENNY MAYULU AS PRIMARY LONG-TERM SUCCESSOR TO KAI HAVERTZ
Arsenal have joined Chelsea and Man City in a €60m race for PSG’s Senny Mayulu, viewed as a potential successor to Kai Havertz.
Arsenal are looking to outdo Tottenham again this summer, this time by targeting PSG’s Senny Mayulu. Reports say Arsenal have joined the chase for the young playmaker, but they’re not alone; Chelsea, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle are all interested too.
Last year, Arsenal snatched Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace right out from under Spurs. Eze hasn’t exactly been on fire, but he did manage to score in both games against Tottenham. Now, Arsenal seem ready to twist the knife a little deeper by making a move for Mayulu, someone Tottenham tried and failed to sign last September, according to TEAMtalk.
CaughtOffside now reports that Arsenal and Chelsea are front-runners for Mayulu this summer. What helps their case? Talks over a new contract between Mayulu and PSG have stalled, and as things stand, he’ll enter the last year of his deal soon. The sticking point? Salary. Mayulu wants more than PSG is willing to offer, but Premier League clubs have a bigger appetite for spending.
Apparently, Arsenal see Mayulu as a possible successor to Kai Havertz in midfield. He’s played up front at times this season, but he’s really a midfielder at heart. Chelsea is also pushing for him, and Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle have all tested the waters with informal approaches.
No doubt about it, Mayulu is one of the hot names ahead of the summer window. PSG have slapped a €60m (£53m) price tag on him, so they’re not letting him go cheaply. They might still try to keep him, but if he won’t sign a new deal, selling now makes sense.
So, would Arsenal be the right move for Mayulu? He’s made 28 appearances for PSG this season, scoring four and assisting five. Since coming up through their academy, he’s racked up 72 games, 11 goals, and nine assists. That kind of promise makes a Premier League move feel almost inevitable, even though he’s already at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
If he does head to England, Arsenal will want to win the battle, but are they really the best fit? That probably depends on who leaves Arteta’s squad. Right now, Arsenal’s attacking midfield is stacked: Havertz, Eze, captain Martin Odegaard, and Ethan Nwaneri coming back from loan. Mikel Merino can play the hybrid midfield/striker role, and even Bukayo Saka has shifted more centrally at times, though he’s really best out wide.
So, there’s a logjam in attacking midfield at Arsenal. Unless Arteta sees Mayulu playing deeper, he might find more opportunities elsewhere. There could be an opening for another central midfielder, especially since Martin Zubimendi has been a hit and Christian Nørgaard hasn’t made much of an impact.
Chelsea isn’t much different. Cole Palmer is their main attacking midfielder, but that hasn’t stopped them from chasing more talent. City has Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki, but there are questions over Bernardo Silva’s future.
Honestly, staying at PSG and continuing to grow there might be the best option for Mayulu. If he decides to leave, he needs to pick a club where he’ll actually play. Chelsea could make sense if Palmer moves wide, but Newcastle might be worth a look, too. They’ve shown they’re willing to adapt roles. Nick Woltemade, for example, has dropped deeper but could move back up if someone new joins as a No. 10.
In the end, Mayulu’s next move should be about finding the right fit, not just the biggest name.
