Arsene Wenger admits he should have left Arsenal sooner after revealing numerous offers

The Frenchman concedes he should have left the Emirates sooner, while also revealing that he rejected a number of attractive offers to remain loyal to the Gunners

Arsene Wenger was Arsenal manager for 22 years (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Archive)

Arsene Wenger admits he regrets not leaving Arsenal sooner after a bitter ending culminated in his departure in 2018.

Wenger, 72, revolutionised the Gunners over a 22-year spell at the club, guiding them to three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups.

But Wenger is most fondly remembered for the iconic 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ campaign, which is included as part of a new documentary titled Arsene Wenger: Invincible, out in cinemas this week.

A disappointing final few years in charge let to a split among the Arsenal fans, with Wenger describing the ending as “like a funeral”.

“I identified myself completely with the club - that was the mistake I made,” Wenger said, as per the Telegraph. “My fatal flaw is I love too much where I am... where I was. I regret it. I should have gone somewhere else.”

Wenger has revealed he could have departed the Emirates a decade before his eventual exit, revealing that “tensions inside the board” left him contemplating his future amid a wide range of offers from rival clubs and national teams.

Wenger said: “Sometimes I wonder - was something broken after that Invincible season?”

“2007 was a decisive point. It was the first time I could feel there were tensions inside the board. I was torn between being loyal to the club and being loyal to David [Dein].

“I still today wonder if I did the right thing because life was never exactly the same after. I thought, ‘I have now to go to the end of this project’.

“I could have gone to the French national team. The English national team twice or three times even. I could have gone twice to Real Madrid. I could have gone to Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, even Manchester United.”