Arsene Wenger has admitted to Jose Mourinho that he would have considered an advisory role on Arsenal's board had he been asked.
The former Arsenal manager has been out of management since leaving the Gunners in the summer of 2018.
The Frenchman enjoyed a stellar 22-year spell in charge of the north London club, which saw him claim three leagues titles and seven FA Cups.
The former Arsenal boss is now head of football development at FIFA but when asked by Mourinho about his stance on returning to the boardroom at Arsenal, Wenger admitted he is open to the possibility.
As part of a Q&A with The Guardian, Mourinho asked: "I had the opportunity to get to know you at Uefa and Fifa meetings and dinners.
"With your culture and vision, I believe you have the qualities to be a top exec, such as a CEO or director of football, at a club.
"Would you have ever considered such a role at Arsenal or was your desire always to remain on the pitch?"
To which Wenger responded: "No, I would have considered being on the board at Arsenal as an adviser.
"I believe that honestly there is a deficit of knowledge in the big clubs of top, top-level competition and games of top-level sport. And I believe we have seen recently that there are many ways to be successful in football.
"For example, there’s the Bayern [Munich] way, where the whole success and continuity relies on people who know the values of the club, and they transfer that from generation to generation: Beckenbauer, Hoeness, Rummenigge.
"Or there are models in England of quick money and quick success.
"Both can work. I like the fact that a club is first an identity and has knowledge that is transferred from generation to generation.
"So that’s why I saw things that way."
