Arsenal turned down the chance to interview Brendan Rodgers following the departure of Arsene Wenger, it has been revealed.
The Gunners are in the market for a new manager after Unai Emery was sacked by the club last week.
Rodgers is reported to be top of the club's wishlist, with Massimiliano Allegri, Nuno Espirito Santo, Mikel Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti all heavily linked with the post too.
It is claimed Arsenal have made "tentative enquiries" for Rodgers' services but been met with a clear message that he will not be leaving in the middle of the season.
According to The Athletic, Rodgers was considered by the Gunners before they appointed Unai Emery in 2018 but rejected the chance to interview him for the post.
They claim that the Gunners' hierarchy had doubts over Rodgers' personality and stature as they looked to replace Wenger.
However, the Leicester City boss has impressed on his return to England and is now thought to be a front runner for the job.
Prising the ex-Liverpool boss will not be an easy task though, although Rodgers did offer his potential new employers some hopes with his contract comments over the weekend.
Whilst reiterating his commitment to his current Leicester project, he did admit there is likely to be a release clause in his current deal.
"There probably is [a clause] in most manager's contracts. It is all hypothetical," Rodgers told Sky Sports.
"My focus is very much with Leicester. I made a change nine months ago and I have been very happy since I came here.
"We still have a lot of work to do.
"Most manager's contracts will have something in but my focus is here."
