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Florentino Perez has admitted that Arsene Wenger did not want to leave Arsenal to come to Real Madrid.
The new Real president has already set his ambitious plans in motion by expressing a desire to bring in top players such as Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery.
He also considered his manager very carefully and appointed Manuel Pellegrini earlier this week after reaching a deal with Villarreal.
Perez is delighted with the man he has in place but concedes that he had also been interested in Gunners boss Wenger.
The Frenchman was linked with Real after receiving some criticism towards the end of another trophyless season with the London club.
Perez has now revealed that he did speak with Wenger but found him to be totally committed to Arsenal.
"From the beginning we have worked on two possibilities - Wenger and Pellegrini," Perez said in L'Equipe.
"We have always been attracted by the Frenchman and we talked to him several times.
"He didn't come because he feels very responsible about what has happened and what will happen at Arsenal. He didn't want to abandon the club that he has given such a lot to.
"But as (director general Jorge) Valdano said: 'Pellegrini is the Wenger of Spanish football'."
The new Real president has already set his ambitious plans in motion by expressing a desire to bring in top players such as Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery.
He also considered his manager very carefully and appointed Manuel Pellegrini earlier this week after reaching a deal with Villarreal.
Perez is delighted with the man he has in place but concedes that he had also been interested in Gunners boss Wenger.
The Frenchman was linked with Real after receiving some criticism towards the end of another trophyless season with the London club.
Perez has now revealed that he did speak with Wenger but found him to be totally committed to Arsenal.
"From the beginning we have worked on two possibilities - Wenger and Pellegrini," Perez said in L'Equipe.
"We have always been attracted by the Frenchman and we talked to him several times.
"He didn't come because he feels very responsible about what has happened and what will happen at Arsenal. He didn't want to abandon the club that he has given such a lot to.
"But as (director general Jorge) Valdano said: 'Pellegrini is the Wenger of Spanish football'."
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