Bayern chief: We were “very close” to signing Arsene Wenger

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed that the German giants were close to naming Arsene Wenger as their new manager in 1994, reports the Daily Mail.

The Frenchman had just guided Monaco to the Champions League semi-final but decided to move to Tokyo, with the Ligue 1 side reluctant to let him join a European rival.

In a move that would have arguably changed the landscape of European football, with Wenger radicalising the style of football played in England once he joined Arsenal, he could have built a dynasty in Bavaria rather than north London.

“In England, there are many good coaches and I like Arsene. We were very close in the 1990s to signing him. He was managing Monaco. We were in discussions to bring him to Munich but he decided to go to Tokyo,” Rummenigge revealed.

While the Germans have always sought a manager to guide them for an extended period of time, since they missed out on Wenger they have made 13 managerial appointments, but Rummenigge finally believes they have found the man to build a legacy around in Pep Guardiola.

“In the past, we have had good seasons, maybe winning the double or, like in 2001, the Champions League. But the year after has always been difficult for us. The players were never motivated.

“We have never won an important title [in the year after the triumph], except those teams in the 1970s. When I came here in 1974, the team just used to get motivated for the big games. For the Bundesliga, for the domestic cup games, they were never motivated.

“We had times in the league where we finished in 10th and 11th. Bad years. We had good years internationally because the players had the spirit and concentration to be focused. But now we have Pep,” the former Bayern striker insisted.

When Bayern won an unprecedented treble last season, questions were asked what else Guardiola could achieve in Germany.

However, since the Spaniard’s arrival he has improved the team and blended his tiki-taka ideals with the powerful physicality that Bayern are well known for to create a unique brand of football that has led many to tip them to become the first side to retain the Champions League trophy.

“He is obsessed about football, always thinking, ‘What can I do new?’ to surprise the opponents – or to surprise his own team.

“That I believe is very interesting. I have been in professional football for 40 years but I have never had a coach like him. He is completely different. We have had good coaches in the past, very successful ones. He is a different story in the positive sense.

“The club are very stable off the pitch but we don’t want to be going up and down, as we had been over the last 10-15 years.

“We want to go like Barcelona. Every year they were arriving in semi-finals, final of the Champions League – many times winning it. I said that is our aim.

“I told him we didn’t want to wait 12 years to win it again. I believe he is the right guy. I can tell you we are very happy with him,” he declared.

With Bayern cruising to the Bundesliga title and favourites for the last Champions League 16 clash against Arsenal on Wednesday, the Germans appointment has been somewhat of a master-stroke, but Guardiola has a lot of work to do if he is to replicate the success and legacy that will be left by his opposite number at the Emirates tomorrow night.