Arsene Wenger remains in the running to take over at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
It was reported earlier this week that the former Arsenal boss had called Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge about their managerial vacancy and had those approaches rebuffed.
However, speaking with beIN Sports on Friday night Wenger claims he remains very much in the frame to replace Nico Kovac in the Allianz Arena hot seat.
Bayern sacked Kovac after last Saturday's humiliating 5-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt that leaves them 4th in the Bundesliga table.
Hansi Flick took temporary charge of the Bavarian giants for Wednesday night's 2-0 win over Olympiakos in the Champions League and will remain at the helm for tomorrow's crunch meeting with Borussia Dortmund.
Addressing the reports of a midweek conversation with Rummenigge, Wenger says he was actually on the receiving end of the call, "On Wednesday afternoon, Rumenigge called me. I could not answer at that moment and, by politeness, I called him back.
"He was in his car going to the game against Olympiacos. We talked for four to five minutes maximum and he told me they had assigned Flick to be the coach and he will manage the next two games because they play Dortmund tomorrow.
Wenger continued, "He asked me if I would be interested because they are looking for a coach. I told him I didn't have any thoughts about it. It needs some time to have a think about it.
"We decided together we will talk next week because I am in Doha until Sunday night. This is the true story."
EXCLUSIVE: Arsene Wenger reveals the truth about #FCBayern contact!#beINWenger pic.twitter.com/ChMaM7sSBW
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) November 8, 2019
Wenger admitted earlier this week that despite turning 70 recently he would like a return to management in some form.
The French boss pointed towards the impending departures of Bayern president Uli Hoeness and CEO Rummenigge, hinting he could bring some much-needed stability to the Allianz Arena, "I wish well to Bayern which is actually at a turning point, because Hoeness – a key man at this club – is leaving. Rummenigge will leave in one year, it seems that the future is uncertain.
"And this club, which has always managed stuff by being very discreet and direct, is today very exposed with rumours coming from everywhere."
"For myself, I wish good luck to Bayern, and for me, the situation is clear."
