Ahead of Arsenal’s home game against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (Watch live on NBCSN, 10am ET and online via NBC Sports Live Extra) long-time manager Arsene Wenger left a cryptic message out in the open about his future at the club.
Wenger, who has been in charge of Arsenal for 17 seasons and is the current longest serving manager in the Premier League, has not yet signed a new contract and his current deal runs out at the end of this season. However when asked about a potential new deal, Wenger had the following to say.
“There’s always a point where you have to decide, of course,” Wenger told reporters with a smirk on his face. “There’s a point where you have to decide and a point where you have to make your decision public… You can take that sentence whatever way you want to.”
This season Wenger’s Arsenal side have been sublime in the PL, and lead the league after a superb start that’s carried over into the New Year with just three defeats from their first 21 games and they’ve racked up 48 points already. But the French manager must soon commit his future to the club, publicly, or risk missing out on several new players and keep current players tied down to the club, as uncertainty over his future in North London continues to grow.
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Rumors leaked earlier this week suggest Wenger will sign his new contract alongside Per Mertesacker and Bacary Sagna, as both defenders are also yet to commit their long-term futures to the club. However Wenger was coy on that speculation and instead wanted to stay focused on the job in hand. Winning games in the PL. Plus trying to win some silverware, to end the eight-year spell that’s seen no new additions to the Gunners trophy cabinet.
One thing for certain is that a new deal is there if Wenger wants it, and his latest comments signify the fact that only one signature from his fountain pen, Biro, quill or whatever he uses, will ease any concerns over his future as manager of Arsenal Football Club.
But cast your minds back to last August and the beginning of the current campaign…
Wenger was certainly not wanted at the Emirates and his side were booed off the pitch by the home fans in a 3-1 opening day loss to Aston Villa. All was not well and many thought Wenger wouldn’t last the season, after eight years without a trophy looked like becoming nine and yet more transfer window misery was set to descend upon the Gunners.
How things can change.
Now Arsenal’s fans are pleading for Wenger to sign a new deal and are begging for forgiveness and questioning why they ever doubted the 64-year-old.
With the Gunners top of the PL table, in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League and possessing a plethora of highly-talented young players (including the $60 million signing of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid in August), the future is looking bright at the Emirates Stadium. The only thing that’s missing is Wenger pledging his future to the club that has turned him into one of the globe’s most respected managers.
Instead of smirking, laughing and waving away questions about his future, it’s time for Wenger to sign on the dotted line. It seems like that moment is edging closer, if it hasn’t been settled behind close doors already.
