Owners at war over Gunners
Usmanov wants Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone.
Henry, who has made a big coaching impression as Belgium’s assistant manager, has already been sounded out about an Emirates reunion.
The Kroenkes, along with chairman Sir Chips Keswick and chief executive officer Ivan Gazidis, hold sway on the big decisions and believe Simeone would be too big a risk due to the Argentine’s volatile temperament.
They have compiled their own shortlist which includes Juventus coach Max Allegri, Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Tuchel, Monaco’s Leonardo Jardim and Henry, who could bring Belgium and former Everton boss Roberto Martinez with him.
That would leave Usmanov frustrated once again in his ambitions for the club.
The belief is growing that Wenger will call time on his 20-year reign in the summer. But he is adamant it will be some time yet before he walks away from frontline management and joins his old foe Sir Alex Ferguson as an ex-boss.
Wenger said: “My preference is always to manage Arsenal and I have shown that. But I think I am adult enough to analyse the situation.
“Ferguson was four years older than I am, he retired at 71 and I’m 67. Maybe I will do four seasons more, maybe less, I don’t know.
“Everybody is different and I do not want to take anything away from Ferguson, he was an unbelievable manager.
“But he’d had enough and I’m not at that stage.”
Wenger making a clean break would help former hero Henry’s return.
Henry, who has his coaching A licence, was blocked by Wenger from taking on a role as the club’s Under-18s coach. Henry was told he would have to give up his Sky Sports punditry role.
An offer from Henry to combine the two by working for free at Arsenal was rejected by Wenger as was a subsequent request to work with the club’s strikers.