It’s been another disappointing season for Arsenal, and that in turn has led to speculation over Arsene Wenger’s future continuing to surface.
The Gunners sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, and with a 14-point gap between them and fourth-placed Tottenham with just five games to go, their hopes of a top-four finish are all-but over.
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That leaves them desperately hoping that they can advance in the Europa League and win the competition in order to secure a place in the Champions League next season. However, with a semi-final tie with Atletico Madrid coming up, that won’t be easy to achieve either.
In turn, it could result in a poor campaign for Wenger and his players, and with ongoing criticism of the veteran tactician, it remains to be seen whether or not he would be able to survive the calls for him to go.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal could be a considering what would undoubtedly be a very popular decision to appoint club legend Patrick Vieira as Wenger’s successor, with his old boss said to potentially be set to step down rather than be sacked at the end of the season.
Vieira 41, spent nine trophy-laden years with the Gunners between 1996 and 2005, making almost 300 league appearances for the club while winning three Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
He has since spent time cutting his teeth in the coaching business as head coach of New York City FC, and given his and the club’s ties with Man City, it had seemed unlikely that he would return to Arsenal.
This latest report seemingly opens that discussion back up, and coupled with a long awaited change to replace Wenger and given Vieira’s standing with the supporters after being such an influential leader for them on the pitch during his playing days, this could be a very popular decision to spark a fresh start at Arsenal.