Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has revealed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was interested in a move to the club during his tenure and wanted to know more about plans for the team.
The Gunners boss will celebrate 19 years in North London at the end of this month. During his near two-decade reign the Gunners have won three Premier League trophies, including one season unbeaten, and five FA Cups, as well as reaching the Champions League final in 2006.
Wenger also oversaw the project to turn the Gunners into a major force by making the switch from the relatively small Highbury Stadium to the state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium they play at these days.
But according to Calderon, the story could have been very different if Wenger had taken his interest further with Los Blancos.
Speaking to reporters, he stated: “I imagine that anyone – be it a coach or a player – at some time in their career is interested in coming to a club like Real Madrid, especially when you have been at a club for 15 years, or however long, in England.
“Anyone working in any other industry would be interested in change. I think it’s a good idea to have a coach who has a long-term plan.
“He was talking to me about Real Madrid and, at that time, he was very interested in the club and what was happening. I remember he said: ‘Are you going to Hollywood again, or to make a football team?’ He meant are you going for film-star Galacticos or to make a proper football team.”
