Arsene Wenger insists he’s staying loyal to Arsenal despite leaving the club earlier this year and his plans to return to management.

Speaking in an interview with the English media earlier this week, Wenger revealed that he ‘certainly’ intends to return to management by the beginning of 2019. After taking a few months out, the former Gunners boss is clearly ready for his next challenge.

However, that won’t be managing another English club, as he explained in Thursday’s Telegraph.

“Certainly at the beginning of the year,” Wenger responded to a question about when he’d be back in the dugout. “The best thing is not to manage in England because I spent so much time at the same club it would be a sin to go somewhere else.

“I dedicated my whole life for this club to be in a good shape when I leave it and I think that’s what I did.”

The rumours are that Wenger might go for a national job, rather than club football. That would definitely help him to avoid ever having to come up against Arsenal. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s really the case though.

One major club job that’s available at the moment is the post at Real Madrid. They fired Julen Lopetegui so quickly after hiring him that they haven’t had time to find his replacement just yet.

Whether Wenger would be willing to take charge in an environment like that remains to be seen. Madrid would also have to wait a couple of months, considering the former Arsenal boss seemingly isn’t taking another job until the new year. We’ll find out if they’re willing to do so soon enough.