Arsene Wenger could stay at Arsenal as manager beyond 2019

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James Olley31 May 2017

Arsene Wenger’s new two-year deal to stay on as Arsenal manager may not be his last at the club.

The Gunners are expected to confirm Wenger will remain in charge until 2019 after receiving the backing of majority shareholder Stan Kroenke at a series of meetings earlier this week.

The 67-year-old has faced a series of fan protests during the course of a season in which Arsenal failed to secure Champions League football for the first time in his 21-year reign with chief executive Ivan Gazidis describing the most turbulent period between January and April as a “catalyst for change”.

Wenger is thought to have agreed to modifications in the club’s operational structure but he has retained control of team affairs and player recruitment.

​Gazidis and the board are thought to be mindful of beginning a transition into a post-Wenger era especially given he will be almost 70 years of age by the time this latest extension expires.

However, Standard Sport understands there is no break clause in the two-year agreement and neither party has stated this will be Wenger’s last contract.

The situation will be guided by the team’s performance over the coming seasons, while Wenger’s ongoing health will also be taken into consideration.

Arsenal will back Wenger in the transfer market to the tune of £100million in an effort to turn the team into Premier League title challengers.

A fifth place finish in the League could cost the Gunners around £50m in lost revenue but the club believe they are in a robust financial position, not least because for years they have ring-fenced around half that figure as insurance against dropping into the Europa League.

Increased revenues from the League’s £5.14billion television deal, plus frontloaded sponsorship agreements with Emirates and Puma, will give Wenger a strong hand in the transfer market this summer.

Arsenal are keen on strengthening in a number of positions and are monitoring several high-profile targets, including Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and Monaco duo Kylian Mbappe and Thomas Lemar. Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is another option, while the club hold an interest in Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina.

Wanted | Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette (center) and Monaco duo Kylian Mbappe (left) and Thomas Lemar (right) Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

Arsenal are believed to have agreed a £6.8m fee for winger Henry Onyekuru from Belgian club KAS Eupen, but a deal is far from completion given a host of other clubs — including Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Roma and Schalke — have also made offers.

Onyekuru, 19, is yet to agree personal terms and in any case it may prove troublesome to obtain a work permit under stricter guidelines brought in by the Football Association in 2015.

Players under 21 must have featured in 75 per cent of their national team’s matches in the last 12 months if the country in question is ranked between 31 and 50 by FIFA. Nigeria are currently 40th but Onyekuru is yet to make his debut, although he has been called into the squad for their forthcoming friendlies against Corsica and Togo. If he plays, any transfer would go to an ‘Exceptions Panel’.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Chelsea, FA Cup Final | 27/05/2017

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Wenger is understood to be keen to conduct transfer business early in a bid to appease supporters and also convince Alexis Sanchez and Mezut Ozil to sign new deals with the club. Both players have a year left on their existing agreements and have been offered £300,000-a-week and in excess of £250,000-a-week respectively to stay.

Sanchez has attracted interest from Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City, Juventus and Paris St Germain. Wenger will be given any money from their possible departures to reinvest in the squad.

Meanwhile, Santi Cazorla has revealed he has undergone eight separate operations since suffering an Achilles injury in November.

The Spaniard said: “It’s been a difficult season. I’ve been through surgery eight times, the last one yesterday. Hopefully everything will go well.”

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