Wenger: I rejected England and Real Madrid
​Speaking to BeIN, he revealed that Real Madrid and England have come knocking multiple times, and that he rejected them.
The Galacticos reportedly offered him “total control” of the club’s transfer policy, too.
The Arsenal legend won three Premier League titles in 22 years with the Gunners, and retired this year after a run of poor league and European results.
“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.”
The Three Lions had also come knocking, but were unable to convince him, in part because the Frenchman believes that an Englishman should Coach the national team.
“I turned them down two or three times. But at that time the daily involvement for me was important.
“I have said many times that it should be an English guy who takes the England national team. It’s a big football country they have enough quality managers and I thought maybe it’s not right for me to do that.”