Arsene Wenger has turned down the chance to manage French soccer giants Paris St-Germain. The departing Arsenal boss is keen on taking over the France national team after the World Cup.
PSG, whose owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is a close friend of the Gunners boss, have made regular attempts to lure Wenger to the French capital.
Despite claims former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel had been lined up to replace Unai Emery this summer, it is understood PSG were ready to employ Wenger when it was confirmed he was quitting Arsenal.
But friends of the 68-year-old say leaving Arsenal a year early – following a falling-out with chief executive Ivan Gazidis, who was pressuring him to go – has hit Wenger hard.
After nearly 22 years with the north Londoners, his claims about wanting to take a break from the game appear to be genuine.
It is also understood such is his affection for Arsenal he cannot contemplate taking charge of another club, despite Everton also contacting him to try to tempt him to replace Sam Allardyce at the end of the season.
The feeling among those who know him is that Wenger is coming round to the idea of bossing France, having also been offered the job on numerous occasions during his time with the Gunners. Much will depend on their showing at the World Cup, but after six years in the job there is a feeling Didier Deschamps’ time as boss could be coming to an end.
Wenger likes the idea of rebuilding the national set-up all the way up from the kids and also is aware the pressure of the job will be nowhere near as intense as the last few years at Arsenal, where he has come under constant attack and been abused, with the club failing to win the league for 14 years.
With Wenger leaving the way clear, PSG are expect to confirm the appointment of 44-year-old Tuchel.
Arsenal are increasingly confident they can land Juventus boss Maximiliano Allegri as Wenger’s replacement. – The Daily Star.
