Arsene Wenger Has Revealed He Should Have Left Arsenal Over 10 Years Before He Did

Arsene Wenger has revealed that he thought about leaving Arsenal over 10 years before he finally did, and said he regrets not taking another management job.

Wenger had 22 years at Arsenal, winning the Premier League three times, before finally leaving the club in 2018, long after his star had faded in north London.

For the last few years of his reign at the club, a large swathe of fans had started the 'Wenger Out' campaign and that, coupled with poor seasons on the pitch, somewhat muddied his legacy at the club.

A new film about the legendary Arsenal boss, 'Arsene Wenger: Invincible,' comes out this week on Amazon Prime and in it the 72-year-old revealed his regrets about not leaving the club sooner.

"I identified myself completely with the club - that was the mistake I made," the Frenchman claims, as per the Telegraph.

"My fatal flaw is I love too much where I am... where I was. I regret it. I should have gone somewhere else."

Wenger said goodbye to the club in May 2018. Image: PA Images

Throughout his time at Arsenal, the former Monaco boss was linked with moves to Real Madrid and the France national team on numerous occasions.

Wenger has also admitted that he was offered the Manchester United job in the past, and they're amongst the jobs he reveals he could have taken.

"I could have gone to the French national team. The English national team twice or three times even. I could have gone twice to Real Madrid. I could have gone to Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, even Man United."

Whilst it's thought he was offered the role at Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement in 2013, the Frenchman hasn't admitted when that job was on the table.

The 'Wenger Out' campaign followed Arsenal for a few years. Image: PA Images

Wenger's last league title came in 2004, when his side went unbeaten throughout the league campaign, giving the team and the film the title 'Invincibles,' and he then carried on another 14 years, 'only' winning the FA Cup, on four occasions.

And he also admits in the film that he nearly left just three years after the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry helped him to a third title, when former vice-chairman David Dein left the club.

"Sometimes I wonder - was something broken after that Invincible season?" Wenger adds.

"2007 was a decisive point. It was the first time I could feel there were tensions inside the board. I was torn between being loyal to the club and being loyal to David [Dein]. 

"I still today wonder if I did the right thing because life was never exactly the same after. I thought, 'I have now to go to the end of this project.'

Nowadays the former Gunners' boss doesn't visit the club, and hasn't been back since his departure was greeted with thanks from fans who'd spent the previous years chanting for him to leave.

Instead FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development is at the forefront of trying to make the World Cup happen every two years instead of four.

Topics: Premier League, Arsenal, Arsene Wenger

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

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