ARSENE WENGER has sensationally offered to RETURN to Arsenal if the club ask with Mikel Arteta struggling.
This season, rookie boss Arteta has guided the Gunners to their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign having taken over in December 2019.
Arsene Wenger has offered to help Arsenal should they ever need himCredit: Getty – Pool
Arteta has guided Arsenal to their worst-ever start to a Premier League seasonCredit: Reuters
Arsenal have managed just 20 points from their first 16 games this season, with the club way down in 13th and averaging a meagre one goal per game.
And Wenger, who spent 22 years in charge before leaving at the end of the 2017-18 season, has admitted he would be open to helping if he was called upon.
Wenger – who won three Premier League titles in North London – told the Men In Blazers podcast: “If I’m needed, I will help them.
“But I don’t expect that, no.
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“I wish nothing. Time is a good doctor, you know?”
Wenger had previously called Arteta ‘lucky’ for landing a big job with no experience in management – but believed he deserved a chance thanks to his playing days at the club.
In October, the Frenchman, 71, said: “He’s lucky that straight away he got into a big club.
“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.”
Wenger has not returned to management since leaving Arsenal after a 22-year spell.
The Frenchman did take up a role at Fifa, working as chief of global football development.
Wenger has been linked with a number of jobs in the past few years, including the vacant Barcelona position following Quique Setien’s sacking and Fulham twice.
But he is yet to venture back into management after his incredible Arsenal tenure was tarnished late-on in his reign.
Fans were seen holding up ‘Wenger Out’ banners at sporting events across the globe, from the Emirates to cricket in Australia and even WWE.
Wenger guided Arsenal to three Premier League titles including during the 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ seasonCredit: PA:Empics Sport
In October, Wenger admitted he ‘was maybe Arsenal boss too long’.
When asked if he believed he overstayed his welcome at Arsenal, Wenger told The Times: “Listening to that question makes me think, ‘Yes.’
“Maybe I stayed too long… I don’t know. But I was committed like on the first day.
“I think I guided the club through the most difficult period in a very successful way.
“At some stage people say you’re too old, but they don’t really look at what you do.
“I served the club as much as I could.”
Wenger had one year left on his Arsenal deal when he stepped down – and the boss admitted he would have ‘respected’ it, but club chiefs wanted him gone.
The Frenchman continued: “The club thought it was better I stopped… I’d always lived with the idea that could happen.
“The supporters were not happy any more… some of them.
“You can understand that, at some stage, 22 years, people want a change.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
