Former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has revealed that he turned down Spanish giants Real Madrid a number of times while he was coach at Arsenal.
The Frenchman capped off a spectacular 22-year relationship with the Gunners with a final day win over Huddersfield and was clearly emotional as he waved goodbye to the crowd.
The tactician has said he just might manage another club but certainly not in England.
Speaking to Bein sports, a publication that Wenger (now an Arsenal fan), has generally been more open to and more forthcoming with, the former boss said that he turned down both the Real Madrid and England jobs.
“When we built the stadium the banks asked me to commit for five years, the first time [Real Madrid called] it was inside the five years and I thought no I could not do that, that would betray my club.
“Real Madrid I think I turned down two or three times you know. It’s one of the teams I loved when I was a kid. I just felt that it was a very sensitive period for Arsenal.
“You are always tempted to go to Real Madrid because they offered me the chance to take control of the whole club.
“At the end of the day, I said no once, twice. I turned so many clubs down you could believe it. At the end of the day, I was happy where I was as well.”
Arsene Wenger was a pioneer of the English game, transforming not just Arsenal as a club, but a whole country in the process of his 22-year stay.