Featuring: James McNicholas, David Ornstein and Amy Lawrence
Arsene Wenger has returned to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since leaving as Arsenal manager in 2018.
Wenger, 73, is in the crowd to watch Arsenal’s Premier League game against West Ham United on Boxing Day.
Wenger, who managed Arsenal from 1996 to 2018, had previously said he had no plans to see his old side in action.
But last season current manager Mikel Arteta said he would be happy to welcome the Frenchman back to north London.
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Arteta said: “Hopefully we can bring him closer because I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment he can create around him by being around this place.
“It’s because of the respect, admiration and love that everyone at the club has for what they’ve done and for what they represent as a person at this club.”
Wenger left Arsenal at the end of the 2017/18 season, ending a 22-year tenure as manager.
He left the club a year before his last contract expired.
He has worked for FIFA since leaving Arsenal and is currently the governing body’s head of global football development.
Arsenal are flying high in the Premier League these days and a win tonight could extend their lead to seven points at the top of the table.
Arsenal won the FA Cup under Arteta in 2020 but have not won a league title since Wenger left the club.
Wenger led Arsenal to domestic glory in 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04. The third of those achievements was the most famous, as Arsenal won the title without suffering a single defeat.
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(Photo: Getty Images)