NOW WIN TITLE
Arsenal lay down law to Wenger after new £16m deal
ARSENE WENgER has been told he must deliver the Premier League title after signing a new twoyear deal at Arsenal.
Owner Stan Kroenke piled on the pressure yesterday after confirming that the manager had extended his contract by stating: ‘Our ambition is to win the Premier League and other major trophies in Europe. It’s what the fans, players, staff, manager and board expect.’
Chief executive Ivan gazidis added: ‘The ambition is to put this club in a position where we are winning the Premier League, where we are competing to win in Europe and pushing forward.’
The new contract, believed to be worth £8million a year, ended months of speculation about the future of 67-year-old Wenger.
He had been under fire from a vociferous section of the club’s fans, plus former players and pundits, during the second half of last season as Arsenal failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 seasons. But they lifted the FA Cup for a record 13th time on Saturday.
Wenger said: ‘The message to the fans is in aid of the club. Let’s be together to support our players, to support the club and all give our absolute best to be at the level that we want to be.’
ARSENE WENGER will only target top quality signings in his bid to deliver the Premier League title to Arsenal. Wenger yesterday ended months of speculation by extending his contract until 2019.
Having missed out on Champions League football, the Arsenal manager outlined how he will push for the title, saying: ‘We will work very hard to find the additions of top, top quality players.
‘I believe that our squad is very strong and we will only look for top-class people who can strengthen us.
‘The basis is there so we need the additions who will make a real difference. We want to keep the strength we have and build on that. Also, we have a very heavy squad at the moment so maybe we might lose some players.’
Arsenal will also need to work on keeping hold of key duo Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, whose deals expire in a little over a year.
Facing a season in the Europa League, Wenger called on Arsenal supporters to unite, having admitted ahead of the FA Cup final that the uncertainty over his future had created an ‘absolutely horrendous’ atmosphere.
‘The message to the fans is in aid of the club,’ he said. ‘Let’s be together to support our players, to support the club and all give our absolute best to be at the level that we want to be.’
Chief executive Ivan gazidis echoed the challenge ahead of Wenger, adding: ‘The ambition is to put this club in a position where we are winning the Premier League, where we are competing to win in Europe and pushing forward.’
gazidis also indicated that the planning for life after Wenger must start now, adding: ‘Again, at some point we will have to transition to the era beyond Arsene and that is not a sentimental connection that we have, that is a connection that is driven by what is best for the football club.’
Wenger and gazidis have conducted a full review of their onand off-the-pitch activities following the disappointing season.
When asked what changes may be afoot, Wenger answered: ‘Maybe on the non- playing side, for example. On that front, we always want to be better.
‘We live in a very competitive world where everybody tries to get better. We look to be stronger everywhere.’
Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who owns 30 per cent of the club but does not sit on the board, had a takeover bid rebuffed by owner Stan Kroenke last week. He called on the manager to be given complete boardroom backing.
Usmanov said: ‘ What is now of paramount importance is that he receives the full support of the board and majority shareholder.
‘ If the support is not forthcoming, we stand ready to step in and do everything we can to deliver success on and off the field for Arsenal.’