Arsenal hope Wenger will sign new deal
ARSENAL remain hopeful Arsene Wenger will stay as manager beyond the end of the season but have no immediate plans to open contract talks.
Wenger’s current deal expires at the end of the campaign and the club want him to extend his 20-year spell in north London.
The Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick was questioned about the Frenchman’s contract situation during the club’s annual general meeting yesterday.
He said: “We all recognise the fantastic contribution Arsene has made to the club in last 20 years. We are confident about his ability to take us forward.
“We will sit down and discuss the future at the appropriate time but our focus is on maintaining the current run and competing for trophies.”
Wenger himself was giving little away, other than confirming he would not still be in charge in another 20 years.
The AGM was a far more cordial affair than the stormy meetings in the past due to Arsenal’s improved results on the pitch.
Wenger was warmly applauded by shareholders when presented with a portrait of himself, made up of the names of the 210 players he has picked for the club, to mark his 20th anniversary in charge.
In keeping with the mood he opened his speech with a joke, saying: “Yes, it’s 20 years. I’m sorry! I would like to apologise for every minute I made you suffer in these 20 years – but you don’t look too bad for people who have suffered for 20 years.
“I am sorry for the boy who was born 20 years ago and has only known one manager. I would like to reassure him that when he is 40 he will know a few more.”
Wenger then went on to state Arsenal should mount a challenge for the Premier League title this season, and set them a points target of between 82 and 86.
Despite a lacklustre goalless draw at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday, Arsenal are currently joint top of the table alongside Manchester City and Liverpool.
“Today we are in a much more competitive position to fight for the championship than five or six years ago,” he said. “I believe we have a competitive team in a very competitive league.
“After nine games we have 20 points, which means the championship will be decided between 82 to 86 points.
“I believe the team has the commitment, togetherness, hunger, desire and unity and we have a good chance to compete for the Premier League. That is the target and I am absolutely committed to fulfilling it and giving my best so that we are successful until the end of the season.”
He insisted Arsenal will compete for every competition ahead of tonight’s EFL Cup match against Reading.
The rebranded League Cup is usually a distant fourth in Arsenal’s priorities, and probably more so this term as they currently sit level on points with Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.
Wenger’s training schedule for the Emirates Stadium encounter was disrupted by the club’s annual meeting but, in his speech to shareholders, the Frenchman revealed his desire to get through to the quarter-finals.
Wenger will make changes so youngsters Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Rob Holding, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Chuba Akpom, who played in the 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the previous round, could feature again along with the Spanish forward Lucas Perez. He does not believe those alterations will hinder his efforts to lift the trophy.
“Our challenge is to compete for everything, starting [on Tuesday] in the League Cup,” he said.
“Even if you see some new faces, our desire is to qualify and fight for everything because I believe we have a squad that is more mature and better equipped to cope with the challenges.”
Wenger received an ovation as he left the stage, while the only sticky moments this year concerned off-field matters.
There was a close call for majority shareholder Stan Kroenke with the room divided over whether to keep him on as a director, but a second show of hands were in his favour.
Keswick also defended the salary and bonus paid to club chief executive Ivan Gazidis, which was questioned.
“Ivan is doing a first-class job in leading the development of the club in all aspects and representing our values, and we are lucky to have him,” he said.