Arsene Wenger Reacts to England Manager Rumours After Arsenal Beat Basel

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out the possibility of taking over as England boss but insisted he is purely focused on the Gunners while in the last year of his contract.

Following the departure of Sam Allardyce as Three Lions boss on Tuesday, Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph reported the Football Association will approach Wenger, 66, and try to appoint him as the next permanent England manager. 

With Gareth Southgate in temporary charge for the next four England games, there is just one other match—against Lithuania in March—not covered before the end of 2016-17, so Wenger could theoretically take over when his Gunners contract expires next summer.

After Arsenal's 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over FC Basel on Wednesday, the French manager commented on the links with England, per Sky Sports: "Of course [I'm flattered to be linked], but my priority has always been this club. Until the end of this season, I'm here, and I am completely focused on that. My priority is always Arsenal, and I have to assess how well I do until the end of the season."

Per Law, the FA approached Wenger when it was looking to replace Roy Hodgson in the summer but went with Allardyce as the governing body "did not feel it could wait an entire season for" the Frenchman.

Following Allardyce's departure after just one game in charge after being caught up in a Daily Telegraph investigation, though, the FA is seemingly more receptive to the idea.  

Per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, the main barrier to Wenger's appointment with England will be if Arsenal offer him a new deal at the Emirates Stadium:

At the back end of the 2015-16 season, with Arsenal condemned to a 12th consecutive season without a league title, fan resentment toward Wenger was on the rise, and it looked as though he might not remain in north London for much longer, per Tom Sheen in The Independent.

However, Arsenal have started the new season in fine fashion and sit third in the Premier League table after an impressive 3-0 victory over Chelsea on Saturday.

Should the Gunners continue to compete at the top end of the table, then Arsenal's hierarchy would surely offer Wenger the chance to stay on past the end of 2016-17. Given his 20-year tenure at the club, it is highly likely he would opt to remain at the Emirates rather than take the England job.