WENGER HANDED TWO MORE YEARS

ARSENAL will today formally announce that manager Arsene Wenger has signed a new two-year contract. The extension to Wenger’s reign was ratified yesterday at a full board meeting. The Frenchman, though, agreed to certain adjustments in Arsenal’s football operation to appease some board members opposed to his continuing as manager. It is understood Wenger told American owner Stan Kroenke of his wish to stay before the meeting. Despite a largely disappointing end to the Premier League season that saw Arsenal fail to secure Champions League football and growing animosity

from supporters towards 67-year-old Wenger, majority shareholder Kroenke has been unwavering in his support. Despite resistance from some board members to the Frenchman staying — even after Saturday’s FA Cup final victory — Kroenke ultimately decides. Arsenal are expected to make a formal announcement on their website today, along with an interview conducted by their in-house media team in which Wenger will outline his plans to turn the club back into Premier League contenders. That should end months of speculation over his future during which Arsenal did little to clear up the uncertainty — a lack of support that reportedly irked Wenger. He feels it contributed to a slump in which Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League in a 10-2 aggregate defeat by Bayern Munich and subsequently failed to qualify for the competition for the first time in 20 years. The manager has agreed to make some changes to the way he runs things but, critically, he will continue to have the final say on first-team matters. Even so, Arsenal are believed to be still keen to appoint a sporting director, allowing Wenger to delegate duties such as scouting and contract re-negotiations. Wenger had opposed the idea but the club have assured him that his decision-making powers will not diminish. He will still have the last word on signings, though the club want him to show more conviction in the transfer market. Some members of Wenger’s backroom team, though, face an anxious wait to see if they will survive the shake-up. Wenger has always been loyal to his inner circle but he is under pressure to revamp his coaching team. Goalkeeper coach Gerry Peyton and fitness coach Tony Colbert are among those who could be under threat. Those leaving will be told in the next 48 hours. Full details of the proposed changes are unlikely to be confirmed by Arsenal today but will become clearer over the summer. Meanwhile Arsenal last night agreed to pay Belgian club Eupen £6.8million for Nigerian forward Henry Onyekuru. The player has yet to agree personal terms.