Arsenal vs Chelsea: FA Cup Final will not determine Arsene Wenger's future

Arsene Wenger today insisted the outcome of the FA Cup Final will have no bearing on his future as Arsenal manager and reiterated his stance that it will not be his last match in football.

The 67-year-old’s contract expires next month and his situation is expected to be resolved at a board meeting scheduled after Saturday’s Wembley date against Chelsea.

The Gunners failed to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in Wenger’s 21-year reign but they can still finish the season on a high by winning the FA Cup for the third time in four years.

Wenger can also become the most successful manager in the competition’s history — he is currently tied on six wins alongside George Ramsay.

Wenger’s preference remains to stay, but Standard Sport understands disagreements exist over a proposed restructuring of the club with chief executive Ivan Gazidis keen to appoint a director of football regardless of whether the Frenchman remains at the helm.

Asked if the FA Cup will determine his decision, Wenger replied: "No. I don’t care about me, I care about us winning on Saturday. When you go into a game, in a Cup Final you can accept the challenge. You just want to win it. The last worry I have is about myself.

"It will not be my last match anyway, because I will stay, no matter what happens, in football."

Arsenal have won five matches in a row and eight of their last nine in all competitions and Wenger preferred to frame this weekend’s game as a reward for his team’s recovery following a dreadful slump in February and March.

"I want to do it just to win the Cup, because I think the team has redressed very well the situation on the sporting side," he said.

"That will be a good crowning of what we have done in the last two months. The team has given so much, I think they really want to win something."

The club claimed earlier in the week that Shkodran Mustafi would be fit to face Chelsea but doubts are growing as he struggles to shake off an illness.

Mustafi is yet to train this week and should he miss the game, Arsenal face a defensive headache with Laurent Koscielny suspended and Gabriel ruled out for six-to-eight weeks with medial knee ligament damage.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back in full training after suffering a hamstring problem while Wenger is confident Alexis Sanchez will shake off his own hamstring issue, adding: "He needs to go through some tests but he’ll do everything to be fit for Saturday."