Luis Enrique addresses Manchester United links following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacking

Spain manager Luis Enrique has distanced himself from possibly succeeding Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United's next manager.

Enrique, who took over as Spain boss back in 2018, has been touted as one of the early favourites to replace Solskjaer at Old Trafford after he was officially sacked on Sunday morning.

United, prior to Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Watford, had accepted that a change in manager would be required, following the recent defeats to likes of Liverpool and Manchester City. However, they were forced to speed up their plans following the hefty defeat at Vicarage Road.

Michael Carrick has been placed in temporary charge until United find an interim manager to take over the reins until the end of the campaign.

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Therefore, it is clear that United have plans to appoint a big-name manager next summer ahead of the 2022/23 season, with Enrique currently amongst the favourites to land the position.

However, the former Barcelona chief, who is 51, has played down the speculation linking him with succeeding Solskjaer.

Asked about the reports linking him with the job at Old Trafford, Enrique told La Sexta: "Is today April Fools' Day?"

Therefore, it is seemingly clear that the Spaniard has no interest in leaving his current post as Spain manager, a project in which he is overseeing very impressively. He guided them to the semi-finals of the European Championship during the summer and has recently guided them to next winter's FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Considering Spain have a wave of exciting, young talent emerging from their youth systems, Enrique will be targeting success in Qatar in a year's time and it is highly likely that he will want to have a crack at guiding his country to its second World Cup crown.

Furthermore, leaving his homeland and making the switch to England may be difficult for Enrique and his family as he lost his nine-year-old daughter, Xana, to bone cancer just over two years ago, meaning it would most probably be in his and his family's best interests to remain in Spain.

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