CSL side Luneng deny interest in Arsenal manager

Chinese Super League (CSL) side Shandong Luneng on Tuesday denied interest in signing Arsene Wenger as their head coach after he leaves Premier League club Arsenal, at the end of the season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, April 29, 2018. [Photo: IC]

The 68-year-old Frenchman will say goodbye to Arsenal where he served as manager since 1996. Reports said Luneng will offer a coaching job to Wenger with an annual salary reportedly close to 28 million GBP.

The club humourously denied the rumour on it's Weibo account. "It is surely a surprise to learn from netizens that Mr. Wenger will be the head coach of our club."

Former Chinese men's football international Li Xiaopeng took over as Luneng's head coach in December, replacing German manager Felix Magath.

The 42-year-old Li Xiaopeng, who spent his entire playing career in Luneng, was one of the key figures in China's only World Cup experience in 2002.

As a player, Li helped Luneng win one Chinese Jia-A League title, three CFA Cup titles and one CSL Cup title.