Arsenal news: Arsene Wenger says 'international football is not for him,' claims Lee Dixon amid England reports

Sam Allardyce was forced to end his tenure at the Football Association after just 67 days

Arsene Wenger (Getty)

Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon says Arsene Wenger has expressed reservations about the merits of managing in international football as reports link him with the England job.

Sam Allardyce was forced to end his tenure at the Football Association after just 67 days following a sting operation by the Daily Telegraph which appeared to reveal his willingness to help a fictitious firm from the Far East circumvent third party transfer regulations.

Wenger has distanced himself from the vacancy this week but stopped short of denying an interest in one day succeeding Allardyce. Dixon, however, is sceptical whether he would be prepared to go months on end without the daily rigours of club management.

Dixon told ITV Sport: “Whenever he's spoken about it to me or when I've been in his company, he's always said that international management is not for him right now, and that's gone right up until this point.

“He's at the end of his contract, if he wins something with Arsenal or if he doesn't win something with Arsenal, I think it will come to a head one way or another.

“Would he then just fancy backing down a little bit? Knowing him, he likes to be involved in the day to day basis with the game… whether international football fits that bill I'm not sure.”

Quizzed about the job on Wednesday night, following Arsenal’s Champions League victory against Basel, Wenger was asked if he was flattered by the reports.

He added: “Of course. But my priority has always been this club. Until the end of this season I'm here. And I am completely focused on that.

“When pressed if his future was closer to being resolved. That's not decided. My priority is always Arsenal FC and I have to assess how well I do until the end of the season.”