Former football agent Marc Roger claims that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger ​is the "only man in the world" to refuse a move to Real Madrid.





Wenger was courted by the ten-time European champions from 2001 to 2003, as Roger told ​L'Equipe that Florentino Perez was set on installing him as the club's manager in the first and truest 'Galacticos' era.





Roger held close connections to Wenger at the time and stated that he was one of the only agents to speak to Wenger, while he also represented the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Nicholas Anelka, Laurent Blanc, Sylvain Wiltord, and Claude Makelele. And speaking to French media recently, Roger revealed the extent of Real Madrid's interest in Wenger at the time.





He said: “He (Wenger) used to speak to two agents only; Santos Marquez and me.





“After the Makelele transfer (to Chelsea in 2003), there were some meetings organised with Vieira and especially Wenger.





“It was his (Perez’s) dream to hire him. But Arsene, who has the mindset of a youth training coach, did not want to go there. He is the only man in the world who refused to manage the Real Madrid with Roberto Carlos, Figo, Zidane and Beckham. And he took a lot of time to refuse the offer.









“We started the meetings in 2001 and in 2003 we were still discussing and negotiating. In the last meeting in January or February 20003, only Valdano came as Perez did not believe it would happen anymore.”





Wenger was initially appointed at Arsenal in 1996, and he has remained at the club ever since with only Real Madrid ever coming close to luring him away. He's set to celebrate a milestone 20 years in the job next year, extending his record as the club's longest serving manager in history.





Real Madrid are currently managed by Rafa Benitez, and kick off their Spanish league campaign this weekend against Sporting Gijon.





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