Arsene Wenger is considering a return to club management, and will give serious thought to any offers from Japan, according to reports.
The Daily Mail write that “if the right offer comes from Japan, Wenger will give it serious thought”. The 68-year-old recently ended his 22-year spell with Arsenal, but before that he managed J1 League side Nagoya Grampus Eight.
It’s no secret that Wenger enjoyed his time there, and 21 years later he was still referencing the values he’d learned from his two years in Japan.
The upside of going to manage in Asia is that Wenger would be able to continue in club management with almost no chance of facing up against Arsenal. The only way the two teams could meet competitively would be in the Club World Cup, and Arsenal would have to qualify for and win the Champions League before that could happen.
The manager admitted he’s “not ready” to play against his former club. He told reporters: “That would be very difficult. I don’t envisage that at the moment.”
Managing in Japan could be a good way to get the best of both worlds for Wenger. Alternatively, the Mail also write that the former Arsenal boss will get offers from the United States.
For now, I think it’s unlikely he continues in club management in Europe. There aren’t many top clubs looking for a new manager, and stepping down a level would probably feel a bit underwhelming. We’ll have to wait and see though.