Arsene Wenger’s two decades in charge at Arsenal could come to an end this summer if the club’s supporters have anything to do with it.
A recent survey conducted by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust revealed that 88% of their members voted for the club to end the Frenchman’s contract when his position is reviewed this summer, with only 7% in favour of him staying on and 5% saying they don’t know yet.
Wenger himself has yet to reveal where he could be at the end of the season but there is a growing feeling that he could step aside this summer if Arsenal end the campaign lower in the Premier League than last season’s fifth-place finish.
JOACHIM LOW
Low’s Germany side are the current World Cup holders after Mario Gotze’s extra-time goal in 2014. The German lacks experience at club level following spells in Germany, Turkey and Austria, but his relatively young age and consistency at the top level will stand him in good stead this summer.
Interestingly, he also shares the same agent and lawyer as Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi.
MANUEL PELLEGRINI
Pellegrini won the Premier League title with Manchester City in 2014 and is currently manager of Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune.
The 64-year-old Chilean has vast managerial experience but doubts over his brand of football will reign over him following a disappointing spell as Real Madrid boss. Reports suggested that he met with Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis last year.
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI
The 50-year-old is already popular among Arsenal fans after guiding his Juventus team past Tottenham in the Champions League last 16. Since he joined the Turin giants they’ve won Serie A and the Coppa Italia in each of his three seasons at the helm, not forgetting the two Champions League finals which they narrowly lost.
His teams are tactically adaptable and solid in defence, but it remains to be seen whether he would be open to managing a Premier League side. Allegri speaks an adequate level of English and his European pedigree is exactly what Arsenal need to reach the top again.
CARLO ANCELOTTI
Ancelotti has already met with Gazidis this season and the former Bayern Munich manager is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners to replace Wenger. The Italian’s impressive CV includes one Serie A, a Coppa Italia, three Champions Leagues – the only manager to win that many European titles.
He also had a successful spell in England with Chelsea where he picked up the league and cup double in his first season. Previously praised for his man-management style, Ancelotti is 58-years-old and it is surely only age which is in the way of him becoming the next Gunners boss.
THOMAS TUCHEL
Another manager who has met with Gazidis, the likelihood of his appointment is slim following Sven Mislintat’s arrival at the club as head of recruitment in November. Mislintat was forced out of Borussia Dortmund after disagreements with Tuchel over the Bundesliga side’s transfer policy, which resulted in the scout being banned from Dortmund’s training ground.
Tuchel’s attractive style of football and ability to get the best out of under-performing players makes him a worthy contender for the job, but it is ultimately his flawed relationship with Mislintat which might scupper any chance of him heading to Emirates Stadium.
LEONARDO JARDIM
Jardim is in his fourth season now at Monaco where he won the Ligue 1 title last campaign, ahead of moneybags Paris Saint-Germain.
The impressive feat of reaching the Champions League semi-finals, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar and Tiemoue Bakayoko excelling, showed that the Portuguese could perform at an elite level with relatively unproven young players.
BRENDAN RODGERS
Rodgers has been mentioned as a possible successor to Wenger following his achievements as Liverpool manager and, more recently, at Celtic, where he helped the Scottish giants to go 69 games unbeaten in the league.
The Northern Irishman has a track record of helping his teams back into the Champions League and the style of football which almost saw Liverpool win the league three seasons ago was admired by many in the game, including Wenger himself.
JULIAN NAGELSMANN
Nagelsmann became the youngest manager in Bundesliga history when he took over Hoffenheim at the age of 28. He guided them to safety in his first season in charge and reached the Champions League in his second season.
While Nagelsmann is younger than the likes of Per Mertesacker and Petr Cech, the progress he has made in Germany makes him one of the most highly-rated coaches in Europe right now.
PATRICK VIEIRA
“Let’s say that, one day, it could interest me. But one day. I can’t say anymore because there is nothing to say about it and I certainly do not want to upset Arsene, who I adore and for whom I have a lot of respect.”
The former Arsenal captain is certainly interested in the job which could become available this summer and has been head coach of New York City FC since 2016. Vieira was given his first taste of management with Manchester City’s reserves after being snubbed by Wenger for a coaching role at Arsenal.
MIKEL ARTETA
An outside bet to become next Arsenal manager, Arteta hung up his boots at the end of last season to become assistant manager at Manchester City. Working alongside Pep Guardiola has clearly paid dividends for the studious Spaniard who is consulted on all team matters – including tactics – by the ex-Barcelona boss.
City are expected to wrap up their first league title under Guardiola in the coming weeks and it’s no surprise to see him on Arsenal’s managerial shortlist.
