The Daily Mail are running a piece claiming that Brendan Rodgers turned down the chance to manage both Arsenal and Newcastle, but when you actually read what he said and compare it to was was reported at the time, things don’t quite add up.
Brendan Rodgers is a man who has no issues with confidence nor painting himself in the best light. Just as he comes under pressure for Leicester’s performances this season, he has decided to remind people of the other clubs he could have The Foxes for.
“The owners know my loyalty because I stayed when maybe I could have left,” Rodgers said. “But that doesn’t mean they owe me anything. I want to do it for the club and the supporters and they trust me to do that.”
This is running on Mail Online with the headline, “Brendan Rodgers reveals he twice turned down offers from other clubs – believed to be Arsenal and Newcastle – during his time with Leicester as he insists thrashing of Nottingham Forest will prove a turning point.”
So did Arsenal really offer Brendan Rodgers the job? Did he really turn it down?
If you look at the words Rodgers actually uses, there is no certainty there. There is no mention of any offers, either. He says he ‘maybe’ ‘could’ have left.
Maybe he got an offer from Newcastle, who can say.
He didn’t seem to get one from Arsenal.
Back in 2019, when Unai Emery had been sacked but before Arsenal appointed Mikel Arteta, Rodgers was indeed linked with the job.
In fact, according to the press, Leicester renewed Rodgers contract in order to ward off any interest.
David Ornstein reported at the time that Arsenal had made ‘tentative enquiries’ only to be told Rodgers was happy where he was an was staying.
There is a long road between asking if a manager might be available or interested and actually hiring him.
The board would have needed to speak to Rodgers, find out if he would fit at the club and had the same desire to go in their direction, amongst other things. They would have also had to agree a compensation package with Leicester.
Anyway, it’s all pretty pointless now, thankfully.
Arsenal did not get serious about Rodgers and have stuck with Mikel Arteta, who is much more of a fit for the club than Rodgers could ever be.
Leicester currently sit 17 points behind Arsenal in 19th place with just one win and one draw from eight games this season.
Their goal difference is minus eight and is the only thing keeping them above Nottingham Forest at the bottom of the table, with both sides level on four points.