5 clubs where Arsene Wenger can go in his stated return

Arsene Wenger is, of course, noted for his long and successful tenure at Arsenal FC. The Frenchman turned them from a large British football club to a premier global footballing name.

This was via bringing in top foreign talent to augment the strong British core at the club, such as Tony Adams, David Seaman, Ian Wright, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould, Paul Merson, etc.

Wenger introduced Arsenal to new heights such as the 1998 League and Cup Double, and ultimately the 2004 Invincibles season. The latter was accomplished with the guile and genius of Dennis Bergkamp, the steel and technique of Patrick Vieira, and the wondrous pace and finishing of Thierry Henry.

Wenger lost the 2006 Champions League final to Barcelona, and despite three FA Cup wins in 2014, 2015, and 2017 respectively, Arsenal suffered erratic league form and possibly missed out on winning the league on quite a few occasions.

This came to a head, as top-four finishes were lost in 2017, and in 2018, the club finished sixth in the league, in its lowest league finish since 1995. It was clearly time for a change, and he and club went their separate ways in May 2018. Since then he has not had a club to manage.

Wenger often stated, and still states, that football management is in his blood, and he's thus a football "addict". He needs the day to day involvement of management and coaching, and unlike his now friend and fellow Premier League rival and legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, he doesn't have disparate interests like horse racing. He needs management, and per his own words of late, he will get a job by early 2019.

But where can he go? Will it be back to the Premier League? Or to La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, or another top European league? Or will it be for a national team, or possibly a club side in Asia? He did manage Grampus Eight before he joined Arsenal in 1996.

Despite his perceived failings towards the end of his Arsenal tenure, Arsene Wenger is still a revered and respected member of the football fraternity, and many would be interested to see where he could go exactly.

Here are 5 clubs that might consider hiring Wenger.

Real Madrid

Current Los Blancos manager Lopetegui is under pressure, given their poor La Liga start

Los Blancos are struggling badly at the moment, in both La Liga and the Champions League.

Their most recent loss was to Levante, and it's possible that Lopetegui may face the sack soon. Their next game is against their old "friends" in Barcelona, the El Clasico, and a defeat to them may mean the end for their present manager.

If this happens, then who knows, it could mean Wenger unites with a club who strongly wanted him around the mid-2000s.

Whilst Wenger is not known for his defensive strengths, the players may welcome the focus on attacking qualities, and given the successes that they've experienced, they may hold the mental and psychological strength to be intelligent footballers as Wenger demands. This is a major reason for the success he enjoyed in his early Arsenal tenure.

Wenger is used to high-pressure environments and is fluent in Spanish, so he could fit in readily if required.

AC Milan

Wenger knows newly appointed club CEO Ivan Gazidis from his days in London and given Milan's recent struggles, he could be a man to reinvigorate one of the great clubs in world football history.

Milan also holds a number of young players, many of which hold big potential, and Wenger is a manager known for a long line of successful young talents.

Wenger may also relish the challenge of turning AC Milan - a club that has won seven European Cups in its history - into a major force again. Juve is running away with the league every year seemingly, and it may need another giant in AC Milan to stop them.

Milan is currently in mid-table, but a boost could get them to the Europa League, or even Champions League, places. Gazidis could use his leverage as a former colleague of his to get him in, since he knows his strengths and how well he could fit into the club and culture.

Bayern Munich

There have been strong rumours in this regard, and Bayern currently is four points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, even with a bulk of the season to go.

However, should the Bayern leadership seek a change, then Wenger could feature heavily.

Bayern sought him out before, with some offers made to him in the mid-2000s. Moreover, he speaks fluent German, has often said how he respects the Bundesliga and the German football system overall.

Bayern could do worse in this regard, and Wenger's attacking style would suit the quality of players they have on offer.

Could he win a Champions League with the club? Who knows? It's what Bayern is looking for ultimately, like all big European clubs. However, with the players at his potential disposal, he can look to turn them into strong contenders. He is also used to competitive title fights, which looks like the resulting occurrence in Germany this year, with a resurgent Dortmund.

West Ham United

This may seem a bit left-field, but the Hammers are struggling, and whilst Pellegrini is a capable manager who like Wenger has won the PL before, he may be discarded if things continue badly.

Whilst not as big a club as Arsenal, or prior clubs mentioned in this slideshow, the following things may suit Wenger if this rather fantastic proposition comes to pass:

Wenger knows the Premier League and has played against West Ham many times,
He knows London as a city,
He is familiar with some of the players, namely Wilshere and Perez,
He could get the best from the attacking players at the club, such as Arnautovic.

West Ham, if things aren't corrected, could be in relegation trouble, and may need a ready solution quickly. It may not be a situation that Wenger is accustomed to, but after two decades at the top with Arsenal, he may relish the change in the environment and setting near the bottom of the league.

Leicester City

Wenger might choose a mid-size club like Leicester after so many years at the top

Leicester is a club of a similar size to West Ham United, and if Claude Puel doesn't prosper at the club, Wenger may be another person in the running here.

Akin to West Ham, they have well-established players as well as sound up and coming talent. As we all know, Wenger could get the best out of the latter, such as Harry Maguire who excelled for England in the Russia World Cup. Others such as Ndidi and Ineacho could blossom in Wenger's free and open style.

Vardy is a player whom Wenger wished to sign whilst at Arsenal, and Vardy could do well in Wenger's naturally open style.

It could be a viable option, for the 2016 PL champions. Wenger finished second to them whilst at Arsenal incidentally. Back then, Leicester was known for the fast-paced counter-attacking football, and this could be reinvigorated somewhat should Wenger take charge.

This is another left-field choice, but then a mid-sized club like Leicester could be suited to him.