Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shown an interest in bringing former Gunners manager Arsene Wenger back to the club in some capacity, and has already spoken with him about the possibility.
In his 22 years as Arsenal manager, Wenger, 72, led the north London club to three Premier League crowns and seven FA Cup victories.
Arteta spent five years with Arsenal under Wenger’s leadership.
“We would be delighted to have him much closer,” Arteta said.
“I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment that he can create around him when he’s around this place because of the respect, admiration and the love that everybody at the club has for what he’s done, as well as for what he represents as a person.”
Arteta took over as Arsenal manager from Unai Emery in December 2019, 19 months after Wenger’s 1,235-game tenure came to an end at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Arteta led the team to FA Cup triumph in 2019-20, but the Gunners failed to qualify for European play for the first time in 25 years last season following a second consecutive eighth-place result in the Premier League.
After 12 games, Arsenal is in fifth place in the table and will face bottom-placed Newcastle on Saturday.
When asked if a formal offer had been made to bring Wenger back to Emirates Stadium, Arteta replied that “there has been communication.”
The Spaniard said they chatted during the screening of a documentary about his former employer, who now works for Fifa as the head of football development.
“I talked to him when we went to see the film and it was incredibly pleasant to see him and chat to him, and hopefully we can bring him close,” he said.
Arteta, however, added that he “cannot tell” what role Wenger would take up at the club.
“What I can say is that I would like him to be much closer, personally, to me because I think it would be a great help, I think it would be a great help for the club,” he said.
“Things take time and I think he has to dictate those timings. What I can say is from my side and I can say, I think, on behalf of everybody, is that we would be delighted to have him much closer.”