Arsene Wenger will not rule out a sensational return to Arsenal to save the faltering season of his beloved former club, should the struggles under Mikel Arteta continue.
With the Spaniard at the helm, Arsenal has recorded their worst ever start to a Premier League season, and sit in 13th place on 20 points after 16 matches played.
Recent victories over Chelsea and Brighton have managed to ease some pressure on Arteta’s woefully misfiring side, but now Wenger has astonishingly claimed he would return to the dug-out if the north London club decided they needed him.
Speaking this week, Wenger told the Men In Blazers podcast: ‘If I’m needed, I will help them. But I don’t expect that, no.”
Wenger departed Arsenal in May 2018 following a glorious 22-year tenure which ended in controversial fashion.
Large parts of the Emirates had turned on Wenger at the end of his time with the club, forcing the Frenchman to call time on his position as manager earlier than planned.
Wenger had managed to consistently guide the Gunners to a Champions League finish, despite working on an inferior budget to his rivals, but now the 71-year-old admits time can be a healer.
‘I wish nothing, Time is a good doctor, you know,’ Wenger added cryptically.
Wenger has not returned to the dug-out since leaving Arsenal two years ago, though did take up a role with FIFA as the football body’s new chief of global football development.
Wenger has since revealed he has turned down several jobs to return to football management, including two requests from west London club Fulham.
It was also widely reported in the French media that Wenger also declined the opportunity to take over at Barcelona, following the sacking of Quique Setien.
Back in October Wenger spoke to TalkSport and admitted Arteta was ‘lucky’ to have landed a big job straight away despite his limited managerial experience, before insisting the Gunners are financially stocked to win the league.
Wenger said: ‘He’s lucky that straight away he got into a big club, in a position where you normally have to work ten years to get in that position.
‘But because he played for the club and was a good player, he got his chance. I wish him well.
‘I left the club in a position for my followers to do better and the club now has the financial resources to win the championship.
‘Mikel had passion for the game and big motivation, and good focus and a desire to do well. You could see the ingredients there, and he had a grip and influence on the other players.’
