There are still huge question marks hanging over the future of experienced Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger, despite the Frenchman’s insistence that he will shortly be signing the new contract that has been on the table now since before Christmas.
Initially, we were told by the north London club that Wenger would be putting pen to paper on the two-year extension to his current deal, which runs out this summer, after the Gunners had confirmed their safe passage into the knockout rounds of this season’s Uefa Champions League.
And then when that moment passed, the Arsenal fans were informed that the 64-year-old would definitely be signing the contract before the end of this campaign.
However, I am now hearing that the delay in proceedings is only coming from one side of the negotiating table, and that is Wenger’s, with the manager said to now be considering his future at the Emirates for the very first time since he first arrived in north London in October 1996.
And despite his bosses at the club have assured Wenger that his job is safe next season EVEN if the club both fail to win the FA Cup AND also do not manage to qualify for the UEFA Champions League by finishing this campaign in the top four of the Premier League, the Gunners boss is said not to share the same views.
All of which means that if the dreaded doomsday scenario does materialise next month whereby Arsenal do finish the season outside the top-four places for the very first time since Wenger replaced Bruce Rioch in the Gunners dugout 18 years ago, then the trainer will call it a day himself.