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Arsene Wenger Stepping Down!!


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Arsène Wenger decided to announce today that the he will leave Arsenal at the end of the season after being told that he would be sacked if he did not walk.

The manager is understood to be dismayed at the way his time at the club has ended after giving 22 years service during which time he oversaw the club’s most successful era.

Tony Adams, his former captain, praised him as Arsenal’s greatest ever manager after the news broke.

Wenger reduced some of his squad to tears when he told them this morning that he is to step down this summer, even though he has a year left on his contract.

The Frenchman, by some way the longest-serving manager in English football, called the squad together at 9.45 this morning to tell them he was leaving.

The 68-year-old will be paid compensation to cover that final year of his deal, worth about £8 million, but is not thought to be considering any honourary role at the club because he is keen to take a new job elsewhere.

Wenger told his support staff at 9.30am on Friday about his departure, and resolved they should try to win the Europa League — they have a semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid on Thursday — to end his time as manager in style.

Wenger has had to deal with increasing frustrations among some Arsenal fans about the direction of the club in recent years.

Arsenal say the club will appoint a successor as soon as possible — immediate attention will focus on Arsenal’s former midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is now manager of New York City. Julian Nagelsmann, the 30-year-old Hoffenheim manager, and Luis Enrique, the former Barcelona player and coach, are also understood to be in the frame.

Some of the players, all of whom have only ever played for one Arsenal manager, cried when Wenger explained he was leaving.

Arsenal announced the decision on their website under the heading, Merci Arsène.

Wenger said in a statement: “After careful consideration and following discussions with the club, I feel it is the right time for me to step down at the end of the season.

“I am grateful for having had the privilege to serve the club for so many memorable years. I managed the club with full commitment and integrity.

“I want to thank the staff, the players, the directors and the fans who make this club so special. I urge our fans to stand behind the team to finish on a high.

“To all the Arsenal lovers take care of the values of the club. My love and support for ever.”

Wenger arrived at Arsenal in 1996 as a virtual unknown, but Arsenal achieved the double in his first full season, and then repeated the achievement in 2002. Perhaps the highlight came in the 2003-04 season when The Invincibles went through the entire Premier League campaign unbeaten. In all, Arsenal secured ten major trophies and could still achieve an 11th if they win the Europa League.

Arsenal said in a statement: “Arsène will lead the team to the end of the season and we will make an appointment as soon as possible. The club will not be making any further comment on the selection process until an appointment is made.”

The club’s majority owner Stan Kroenke paid tribute to Wenger’s career which included more than 800 Premier League games.

Kroenke said: “This is one of the most difficult days we have ever had in all our years in sport. One of the main reasons we got involved with Arsenal was because of what Arsène has brought to the club on and off the pitch. His longevity and consistency over such a sustained period at the highest level of the game will never be matched.

“Arsène has unparalleled class and we will always be grateful to him. Everyone who loves Arsenal and everyone who loves football owes him a debt of gratitude.

“Three Premier League titles, including an entire season unbeaten, seven FA Cup triumphs and 20 successive years in the Champions League is an exceptional record. He has also transformed the identity of our club and of English football with his vision for how the game can be played.

“We have high ambitions to build on Arsène’s remarkable tenure and to honour his vision by ensuring that Arsenal competes for and wins the biggest and most important prizes in the game.

“We must now focus on making a strong finish to the season and ask our millions of fans around the world to join us in paying appropriate tribute to one of the greats of Arsenal’s history and one of the greats of the game.”

Per Mertesacker, the club captain, spoke to Arsenal’s website after the news broke and said that it was a “sad day” for the club but that they were “moving forward to the future”.

“We have just been informed basically and it’s quite emotional,” Mertesacker said.

“Obviously he has been at the club such a long time, he has been so supportive to me. One major reason why I’m here is because of him. It’s been emotional and there will be time to digest it but it’s a sad feeling right now.

“He’s the major figure for this club, more than 20 years, it’s been so impressive to me and he’s trusted me so much in my career, giving me the opportunity to play here, making me captain even when I was injured and giving me a future role here at the club so I’m very grateful and very humble for the opportunity he gave to me.

“It is a sad day to me but we’re moving forward to the future. It’s in Arsène’s interests as well that we will bring positive memories to the fans and to the people.”

 

 

EMIRATES POWERBROKERS

Ivan Gazidis, Chief executive.

Arrived in 2009 but is determined to oversee the “change” that he promised supporters last year

Sven Mislintat, Head of recruitment.

Arrived in November from Borussia Dortmund. Already completed deal for Mavropanos and made bids for Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang

Raul Sanllehi, Head of football relations.

Former Barcelona director of football who will arrive next month with responsibility for leading negotiations with players and clubs

Huss Fahmy, Transfer negotiator.

Former Team Sky head of legal and commercial

Darren Burgess, Director of high performance.

Australian sports scientist who had a spell at Liverpool

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