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Player contracts, transfer targets and takeover bids – the key issues as Arsene Wenger’s future at Arsenal is decided

All sides headed into Tuesday’s Arsenal board meeting expecting it to end with Arsene Wenger agreeing a new contract to stay on but there was still plenty to discuss.

And that is how it panned out.

As confirmed by Standard Sport, Wenger has agreed a new two-year deal to remain as Arsenal manager, with the club set to make a formal announcement on Wednesday.

Kroenke and his son Josh, chief executive Ivan Gazidis, chairman Sir Chips Keswick, Lord Harris of Peckham, Ken Friar and club secretary David Miles were all due to attend the meeting along with Wenger and Standard Sport looks at the items likely to have been on the agenda regarding the manager’s fate…


Director of Football appointment

This is undoubtedly the biggest sticking point regarding Wenger. Gazidis described Arsenal’s dreadful spell between January 31 and April 10, when the team lost seven out of 12 matches in all competitions and were humiliated 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League, as a “catalyst for change”.

It is understood the club have sought to address a lack of football expertise on the board aside from Wenger for some time and have long held the belief that two appointments would need to be made to replace the 67-year-old whenever he departs.

During the second half of the season, Gazidis attempted to accelerate the first of those - a director of football - for two reasons: firstly, fans turned their criticism towards Kroenke and the board over a perceived unwillingness to hold Wenger to account and secondly, that the new man would help smooth the transition into a post-Wenger era. However, the Frenchman’s reaction after the club made a series of informal approaches to several candidates, including Borussia Dortmund’s Michael Zorc and ex-Arsenal winger Marc Overmars, currently Ajax’s director of football, was revealing.

“I don’t know what director of football means,” he told Standard Sport on May 9. “Is it somebody who stands in the road and directs play right and left? I don’t understand and I never did understand what it means.”

Wenger’s stance is believed to have softened a little since then but he remains sceptical that creating a new role to help influence player recruitment is anything other than an affront to his authority.

The bottom line is this: the club need to at least be seen taking Wenger to task over a hugely disappointing campaign in which they failed to secure Champions League football for the first time in Wenger’s 21-year reign.

A record-breaking 13th FA Cup win provides encouragement for the future and Wenger requires assurance that boardroom support is total.

Whether the Frenchman accepts a new appointment at a lower level - perhaps among his backroom staff - as a compromise remains to be seen but this is the key area to be resolved.


Photo: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images
Photo: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Identifying summer targets

The club’s transfer fixer, Dick Law, is caught in the middle of the debate over a director of football: he is a trusted Wenger ally and has been heavily involved in the club’s summer recruitment, yet rumours persist that he will be moved on later this year.

Arsenal cannot afford any uncertainty. If a reminder was needed that their rivals will strengthen this summer, Manchester City’s swift £43million move for Bernardo Silva was just that. The club are soon expected to confirm the arrival of Sead Kolasinac from Schalke but more is badly needed. The Gunners are keen on signing Mario Lemina from Juventus and Jordan Pickford from Sunderland but neither deal is at an advanced stage, nor are they the marquee signing to engender real hope the team can challenge for the Premier League title next term.

Moves for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and Monaco pair Kylian Mbappe and Thomas Lemar fit the bill but an absence of Champions League football in addition to ferocious competition from their rivals, will make a transfer difficult to complete.


Photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Agreeing contract renewals

Once the uncertainty over Wenger’s future is resolved, attentions will turn to the plethora of players who have a year left on their contracts.

Top of the list are Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Sanchez has been offered a package worth £300,000 a week while Ozil has an offer well in excess of £250,000 a week. Both have been unsigned for some time so if no agreement is reached, Arsenal must seek to offload them quickly to give themselves time to reinvest. It remains a remote possibility the club could run their contracts down but Arsenal would miss out on £80-£100m of transfer income.

Despite starting the FA Cup Final at the expense of Petr Cech, David Ospina is expected to leave, most likely to Fenerbahce in a £5m deal. Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere all have a year left on their contracts and their situations must be resolved. Aaron Ramsey’s deal expires in 2018 while Wojciech Szczesny and Joel Campbell return from loan spells with 12 months left and little idea what the future holds, nor do Carl Jenkinson and Yaya Sanogo.


Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

Europa League strategy

This could change but the club will look to establish whether they are prepared to take the competition seriously or sacrifice their involvement in an effort to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

The sheer volume of Europa League matches — 15 to win it — in addition to a Thursday/Sunday schedule took its toll on Manchester United this season. Chelsea and Leicester have showcased the domestic benefits of an absence of European football. Arsenal could follow, or take the opportunity to pursue success on the Continent after seven consecutive Champions League last-16 exits.


Takeover stance

Kroenke was unequivocal in his rejection of Alisher Usmanov’s £1bn takeover offer earlier this month but it is understood two board members are not completely opposed to the idea. Fans chanted “Stan Kroenke, get out of our club” at Arsenal’s final home game against Everton, underlining the sustained animosity towards the majority shareholder. Usmanov will not be at the meeting as he does not hold a seat on the board. But it is believed an increased offer is a possibility if Usmanov receives any encouragement that he might be successful. Given the internal differences, a frank exchange of views is necessary.