Real Madrid presidential contender Florentino Perez will make the appointment of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a priority.
“Florentino wants to make Wenger both coach and general manager of Real this summer – and will promise it will happen,” a source close to Perez told The Mirror.
Perez is the favourite to win the presidency following the resignation of Ramon Calderon over a vote-rigging scandal and will also look to use Wenger’s influence to convince Gunners skipper Cesc Fabregas to move to the Bernabeu. Milan playmaker Kaka, who earlier this month was the subject of a world record bid from Manchester City, is another target for Perez.
The 61-year-old Perez was the architect of Real Madrid’s galactico era between 2000 and 2006 and was elected as president on the back of a promise to sign Luis Figo from arch-rivals Barcelona.
“With Kaka and Fabregas as players and Wenger as coach, Florentino will take Real back to where they should be,” the Perez contact said.
Wenger has twice turned down approaches from Perez during his 13-years as Arsenal manager; but the dual role of coach and general manager – which would mean the removal of sporting director Predrag Mijatovic – would mean far greater control at Real than previous coaches have enjoyed.
