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Arsène Wenger: “I had some nice offers, but I didn’t feel ready yet.”

Speaking to BeIN Sports FR this evening, ex-Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger spoke on a number of topics. Highlights below.

On his future:

I rejected some nice offers because I did not feel ready. Maybe I realised how much I was in my own bubble alienating myself from the rest of the world when I was managing. Putting a bit of distance between myself and our world made me hesitate to jump back into the fire-pit so quickly. I did it for 35 years without any interruption. So I was able to leave the bubble and open my eyes and that took me time… you will see me in a dugout again, when I don’t know exactly.

On OGC Nice’s signings:

I think it is exciting. Because they have young players with talent who have not yet blown up. We could say that of the four they have taken, they will not all become big stars, but there are two or three there who have the potential to add something to Nice. And don’t forget that they are already well placed in the league Nice, even without having played the new signings. I speak with them (Patrick Vieira & Gilles Grimandi), they contacted me. For me it is a source of satisfaction to see players that I worked with become managers.

On Sylvinho becoming manager of Lyon:

He was a player who always thought strongly about the team, the collective. And he had the capacity of always being there for others, available to others. He has the basis in terms of character to do the job that is doing. I did not especially think that he had the leadership qualities or that of a guide, but he has grown within it. Personally I am completely behind him. I hope he succeeds at Lyon. He has a guide behind him in Juninho, so I think they could unite well together.

On Neymar:

I think that he is one of the best players in the world and I am happy that he is staying at PSG. Because when you lose one of your two or three best players in the world, the law in our world is that the following year you lose the other (Mbappé). It is very difficult to have players who make a difference, even when you have a lot of money. When you have them, you must keep them. When you want to keep a player, it is better to convince him how important you are to him, rather than to give him zero chance to leave.