Arsene Wenger has conceded that he should have left Arsenal more than a decade before his eventual departure in 2018. The Frenchman, who managed the club for over 20 years, said his loyalty to the club was a mistake.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Wenger reflected on his tenure, saying: "I identified myself completely with the club - that was the mistake I made." He added: "My fatal flaw is I love too much where I am... where I was. I regret it. I should have gone somewhere else."
Wenger identified 2007 as a pivotal point, when boardroom tensions grew following the departure of vice-chairman David Dein. He questioned whether staying was the right decision, noting that he turned down opportunities to manage Real Madrid, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and both the French and English national teams.
Since leaving Arsenal, Wenger has not returned to the Emirates Stadium, which he oversaw the move to in 2006. He described the emotional attachment as making it difficult, likening the end of his tenure to "a funeral" and "the end of a love story." He now works in a role with FIFA.
