Wenger on facing Arsenal: I'm not ready for that
After his side beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the final game of his 22-year tenure, Wenger indicated that his next role in the game would likely take him away from English football.
He confirmed that he had received job offers from within the Premier League but said that he would find it hard to come up against the club he guided to three league titles and seven FA Cup wins.
"I'm not ready for that at the moment," he told reporters. "That would be very difficult. I don't envisage that at the moment.
Two visionaries, two Arsenal greats
A fitting finale to an historic era #MerciArsène pic.twitter.com/IA5lBpLePJ
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 13, 2018
"I had offers, yes of course, but I did not speak to anybody. I had many offers.
"When you come out of such a long process you cannot jump out the next morning and go to work somewhere else. It's impossible."
Wenger said that ending his Arsenal career at Huddersfield, where title-winning Gunners boss Herbert Chapman managed before moving to North London in the 1930s, was a fitting way to bring the curtain down.
"Herbert Chapman – maybe our greatest manager – was from here," said the Frenchman. "For me to come here on the last day had a special meaning when you know the history of our club.
"There was a photo just in front of the dressing room, where Chapman smiled at me because he was on the photo."
He reiterated his belief in the current Arsenal squad, and explained why he walked over to the travelling supporters to bow in front of them.
"When you look at our season there is something in the group that is waiting to come out," said Wenger. "We were very close this season. We went to a League Cup final, the semi-final of the Europa League where we should have qualified, and at home we had a fantastic season. It is away from home that the team needs to improve and they will.
"I know that we disappointed the away fans this season and many of them spare money to travel up to games and it's part of respect.
"They had disagreements with me and I can accept but we had one thing in common: we loved Arsenal Football Club. I just wanted to share that with them today."