Arsenal are confident they could beat Chelsea to the appointment of Luis Enrique – if they decide to make him their number one target to replace Arsene Wenger.

Enrique is among a list of names Arsenal are currently working through since Wenger announced his decision to step down as manager at the end of the season.

The Spaniard is currently rated as the early favourite to replace the Frenchman, although Arsenal have not yet settled on their preferred successor and there is well known rival interest from Chelsea.

Chelsea had been expected to replace Antonio Conte with Enrique in the summer, but the Blues revaluated their options after discovering his wage demands of around £15million-a-year.

That could yet put off Arsenal, although there is an expectation that, wherever he resumes his career, Enrique will have to accept a lower salary now that Paris Saint-Germain have chosen Thomas Tuchel as their next manager.

Enrique remains very much on Chelsea’s list of possible appointments, when, as expected, Conte goes, but they also have other targets – including Mauricio Pochettino, Maurizio Sarri, Max Allegri and Leonardo Jardim.

Jardim is also on Arsenal list, but the Gunners are not expected to go for an Italian, which would rule them out of the race for Allegri or Sarri.