Arsène Wenger is returning to football at the start of 2019

Arsène Wenger is well rested and ready to get back to work

Arsène Wenger made the decision to step down as Arsenal boss at the end of last season, after a 22 year spell with the North London club. It was a long time in the making, but that made it no less sad to see one of the most influential figures in English football take his final bow after a glittering career in the Premier League. But having spent the past few months resting, recovering from the stressful couple of decades, the 68-year-old is ready to go back to work. The Frenchman told SportBild that he thinks he will make his return to football at the turn of the year. He did not specify whether it would be in the managerial role, or at a club, leaving his options open. "I think I'll be back on January 1st. I do not know yet (where). I'm well rested, ready to work again," the former Arsenal manager said. "It is not 100% sure that I go to a club. There are federations, national teams. It could also be in Japan. Thanks to my 22 years at Arsenal, I have experience at different levels. There are requests from around the world," he added. Paris Saint-Germain are one of the clubs linked with Wenger, with rumours that he will take a role as a sporting director at the Parc des Princes refusing to go away. However, a recent report from ESPN suggested that such an appointment could not take place until after the winter transfer window, contradicting Wenger's suggestion that he'll be back on January 1st. What is certain is that whoever hires Wenger will be getting a vastly experienced former Premier League winner who contributed to shaping modern football as we see it today. Given the flaw's that Arsenal sides of recent years have shown in recent years, it is likely that he will take up a directorial role with a club, or a coaching role in the world of international football.