Arsenal set to appoint Arteta as new boss

ARSENAL are closing in on appointing Mikel Arteta as their new manager. Sportsmail understands players have been told that Arteta is 90 per cent certain to replace Arsene Wenger. The Spaniard, who has been working with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City for the past two seasons, is the preferred candidate of chief executive Ivan Gazidis and director Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan. Max Allegri, Luis Enrique and Joachim Low appeared to have all dropped out of the race. Allegri revealed he will stay at Juventus, Enrique’s demands are considered too much and Low is staying with Germany. Confirmation of Arteta as the club’s preferred candidate could be ratified by the board by the end of the week. All that would be left then is for owner Kroenke to give the appointment the green light. Meanwhile, Arsenal players are furious after physio Colin Lewin lost his job on Monday. Lewin, widely recognised as one of the best sporting physios in the country, had been at Arsenal for 23 years.