Arsene Wenger Says He Is 'At a Crossroads,' May Not Manage Again

Arsene Wenger has said he will return to football "soon" but that it may not be as a manager. 

The Frenchman left his post as Arsenal manager last summer after nearly 22 years at the club.

He has been linked with a number of positions since, most recently the Lyon job, with Bruno Genesio set to depart at the end of the season, per L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News). The French club has since appointed former Arsenal defender Sylvinho as manager. 

However, Wenger, 69, has told David Ornstein of BBC Sport that he may not go back into management at all: "Now I'm at a crossroads. You will see me again in football. As a manager...I don't know. ... Football is still my passion. I will come back soon—but I cannot tell you exactly in what capacity."

Wenger established himself as one of the Premier League's most successful managers during his time at Arsenal, as he won three league titles and seven FA Cups.

In his later years at the club, though, results declined, and he lost the backing of some of the Arsenal fans.

It is clear, though, that Wenger remains dedicated to the club with whom he made his name:

"I miss competition, and I miss Arsenal because I left my heart in there. I gave my life to this club for 22 years. Every minute of my life was dedicated to this club, and I miss the values we developed inside the club. I support Arsenal. It will be forever my club."

Under new head coach Unai Emery, the Gunners have enjoyed a decent 2018-19.

They were unable to finish in the Premier League's top four, but they did pick up 70 points, seven more than in 2017-18, Wenger's last campaign in charge.

Arsenal have another opportunity to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League when they face Chelsea in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday.

The fixture in Baku, Azerbaijan, has caused controversy for a number of reasons, most prominently because Henrikh Mkhitaryan has opted not to play for the Gunners. As an Armenian, the playmaker is concerned about his safety:

As far as Wenger is concerned, it is not an acceptable venue to hold such a key fixture, per Ornstein:

"It's a little bit of a nightmare [for the fans]. The teams have no problem. They live in ideal conditions—they have their private jet, nice business seats. But it's the fans.

"[Mkhitaryan's situation] is something that should not happen in football. I feel it's not normal that in 2019—inside Europe, with very sophisticated democracies—that you cannot play for political reasons."