Arsene Wenger may delay decision over Arsenal future until end of the season

Arsène Wenger is adamant that Arsenal’s nightmare recent run will not define whether he remains the club’s manager – but whether he can take them and himself to “the next level”.

Wenger’s contract expires at the end of the season and he suggested on Monday that he may yet wait until that time before coming to a definitive conclusion, despite previous estimates of a decision in “March or April”. 

The big problem is that, although he would like to stay and Arsenal had hoped that he would extend his contract, supporters are now hugely split and the club have not seriously challenged – as he previously expected – to win either the Premier League or Champions League in the current three-year cycle.

Asked if he had “boxed himself into a corner”, Wenger said: “You do not make this kind of decision focusing on one result or two bad results. You have to take a bigger picture and see, ‘Can you take this club to the next level? Can you take yourself to the next level? Are you ready to pay the price for that?’ 

“This decision is not necessarily linked with two weeks out of 20 years. I don’t feel I box myself in a corner.”

Wenger had earlier intervened during a press conference with Per Mertesacker when the captain was asked if the players wanted him to remain manager. 

“I think honestly it’s not down to the players to choose the manager,” said Wenger. “The players have to perform and the board chooses the manager. If I ask you, ‘Is everybody in your company behind you?’ I promise you I find some who are not happy that you sit here and would like to be in your position. 

“I think we are in the best football club in the world and we have to show pride and commitment.

“I haven’t come to a decision yet. I’ll wait a bit and see how the season finishes here. I’ve been here 20 years and think I’ve built the club up. It’s important for me that we’re always successful and that’s why I’ve given myself a bit of time.”

Mertesacker then added: “We are happy to play for him, yes.” 

Arsenal do expect to be given time to prepare if Wenger decides to leave and have begun to draw up a contingency plan.

Wenger wants to continue in management regardless of whether he stays at Arsenal next season and so would have to make a clean break from the club he has led for the past 21 years. 

The exact structure around the manager would then be shaped by the profile of his successor. Wenger also left his decision late into the season in 2014 – when he ultimately signed a three-year extension – and he does not think his uncertain situation has impacted on perfor­mances. 

“I don’t know what the players are talking about in the dressing room, but I hope they spoke about the next game and the next performance,” he said.