Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick has insisted the decision over Arsenal Wenger’s future as manager will be taken “mutually and communicated in the right time in the right way”.
Speculation has been rife for months over the 67-year-old’s position with growing numbers of fans calling for Wenger to step down at the end of the season.
A protest march was held prior to Tuesday night’s humiliating Champions League exit to Bayern Munich and Wenger reiterated at a press conference this morning that he will take the supporters’ views into account before deciding whether to leave when his current contract expires in June.
Majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and chief executive Ivan Gazidis would prefer Wenger extends his 21-year tenure in north London and he has been offered an extension which would tie him to the club until 2019.
The board have, however, been silent on the issue until today when Keswick issued a four-line statement through the club’s official website.
“We are fully aware of the attention currently focused on the club and understand the debate,” it read.
“We respect that fans are entitled to their different individual opinions but we will always run this great football club with its best long-term interests at heart.
“Arsène has a contract until the end of the season. Any decisions will be made by us mutually and communicated at the right time in the right way.”
A second march is planned ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie with Lincoln at Emirates Stadium. Wenger has previously indicated he would make his decision at the end of the season before bringing that forward to “March or April”.
The Frenchman has stated his preference is to stay at the club but he is waiting to see how result pan out with Arsenal currently outside the Premier League top four, 16 points behind leaders Chelsea.
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