CLIMATE OF FEAR
Wenger’s staff face the axe in shake-up
ARSENE Wenger’s backroom team are increasingly worried about their futures amid plans to overhaul Arsenal’s structure.
The hierarchy intend to make a number of behind-the- scenes changes regardless of whether Wenger signs a new two-year contract this summer.
Arsenal plan to appoint a director of football and a number of potential candidates have already been looked at.
There is also a desire to add fresh blood to Wenger’s coaching team, which may leave the Frenchman’s loyal servants Boro Primorac and Gerry Peyton under threat. But the pending changes have led to major apprehension among staff at the club’s HQ.
Members of Wenger’s team were already fearful given uncertainty surrounding the Frenchman’s future, with his existing deal due to expire at the end of this season. And the board’s determination to reorganise the club has only intensified those concerns.
There will also be a number of changes to the playing squad, with the club targeting a new goalkeeper, left back, central midfielder and striker.
Arsenal, though, are braced for bids for Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Sanchez last night emerged as a target for Paris Saint- Germain, who want the Chilean to link with Edinson Cavani and Angel di Maria to form an attacking line-up that will challenge for the Champions League.
Sanchez is a target for Chelsea, too, but the Gunners will refuse to sell to their rivals.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has slammed Sanchez’s potential sale and says it shows how far the club has fallen behind Chelsea and Tottenham. ‘I’d say (only) Alexis Sanchez would get into the Tottenham team,’ said Merson. ‘Every other week you see Pochettino with players signing a new contract.
‘This Arsenal team is going the other way. Eight players out of contract and their best two players could soon be out of contract. It drives me up the wall. This is not a one-off.
‘I don’t think Arsenal will finish above Spurs for the next five years. Sanchez will be at Chelsea next season. That’s fact. Arsenal don’t work that way. Arsenal don’t care. They get 60,000 (fans) every week and even if they don’t turn up they still have their £75 for the ticket. It sickens me.
‘Every year Walcott says: “Go on, I will have another contract. I don’t play every week but go on then”. Can you imagine sitting in that dressing room against West Brom a couple of weeks ago and waiting for Conte, Mourinho, Sir Alex, George Graham. There would have been mayhem.’