Arsene Wenger is set to play an advisory role for the Japan national team, after Hajime Moriyasu was announced as head coach on Thursday.
Before his 22 years at Arsenal, Wenger spent 18 months in Japan as coach of Nagoya Grampus from 1995 to 1996.
The 68 year-old, who left the London club in May, was linked with the national team job before the Japan Football Association (JFA) decided to appoint a domestic coach to succeed Akira Nishino.
According to Sports Nippon newspaper, the JFA could still offer Wenger the post of technical director or even a more unofficial advisory role.
“I met Wenger during the World Cup in Russia,” JFA president Kozo Tashima was quoted as saying.
“He is taking a break from football but we talked about Japanese football.”
