According to reports, Arsene Wenger spoke about a meeting that perhaps had one of the strangest and most unique impacts on his managerial career—a meeting with someone few would imagine influencing a football transfer: Pope Francis!

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, known as Pope Francis, passed away yesterday at the age of 88. He had previously been hospitalized due to a lung infection before being discharged. Pope Francis made his last public appearance during Easter Sunday ceremonies before passing away hours later.

Pope Francis was not just a religious leader. He was also a football enthusiast and a devoted fan of Argentina’s San Lorenzo. During his leadership, he met many figures from the football world, including Arsene Wenger—a devout Catholic and a manager whose name became synonymous with Arsenal.

During this meeting, something unexpected happened: the signing of Danny Welbeck!

Wenger’s Amusing Memory

The story dates back to the final day of the 2014 summer transfer window. Wenger had traveled to Rome to participate in a charity match. There, he met the Pope, while Arsenal was simultaneously negotiating with Manchester United to sign Danny Welbeck, which ultimately led to the player’s move to the London club.

Wenger said: “Meeting the Pope was an experience I didn’t want to miss. I am a Catholic, and such an opportunity meant a lot to me. Moreover, it was a match for peace and dialogue among different religions. The Pope was also a football fan—a supporter of San Lorenzo in Argentina. If you’re born in Argentina, you can’t help but love football! He had spoken with many Argentinians, so I tried to keep it respectful and brief: hello, nice to meet you, and goodbye!”

However, the impact of this meeting was greater than he had imagined. Wenger says his trip to Rome forced him to wake up early and stay fully updated on the negotiations for Welbeck throughout the day, which ultimately led to the player’s transfer to Arsenal.

The former Arsenal manager said: “In 2014, even when traveling, you could stay in touch with everyone. The advantage of that day and meeting the Pope was that I had to take a flight at 6 AM. This meant I was available all day.”

This availability played a crucial role in finalizing the deal. Perhaps Wenger didn’t directly ask Pope Francis to sign Danny Welbeck’s contract, but as he himself said, his presence in the Vatican was not without influence.