Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira is a leading candidate to replace Arsene Wenger as manager of the north London club.
The Daily Mail reports today that Vieira, who won three Premier League titles as a player with the Gunners, is a “serious contender” for the Emirates top job.
France World Cup winner Vieira is currently manager of New York City in Major League Soccer in the US. The Mail says his “appointment would thrill” Arsenal fans who are losing patience with Wenger.
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The long-serving Frenchman, who has been Arsenal boss for 21 years, has “endured a difficult season” at the Emirates Stadium. Sixth in the Premier League and out of the race for a top-four finish, Arsenal fans have shown their dissatisfaction by staying away from home games in their thousands.
The Gunners have one last chance of qualifying for the Champions League if they win the Europa League. But they have been drawn in the two-legged semi-final against Spain’s Atletico Madrid who are favourites to win the competition.
Wenger still has one year left on his contract. The Mail says that even if Arsenal were to lose in the Europa League he would not be sacked.
Split in the Arsenal boardroom
If Wenger decided to leave who alongside Vieira would be a candidate to take over?
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Arsenal board are “split” on Wenger’s potential replacement. According to the paper, the succession plan is being worked on by the club’s head of football relations Raul Sanllehi, head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
It’s reported that Sanllehi’s “favoured candidate” is former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, while Mislintat is a “big fan” of Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann, who is 30, and Shalke’s Domenico Tedesco, who is 32.
Chief executive Gazidis is a “big admirer” of another former Arsenal skipper, Mikel Arteta, as well as Monaco’s Leonardo Jardim and Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers.
Sanllehi, Mislintat and Gazidis will give advice on who they believe should be in charge next, but the Telegraph says that majority shareholder Stan Kroenke will “ultimately have the final say on who replaces Wenger”.
Arsenal next manager betting odds
We look at the latest betting odds on who could become the next manager of Arsenal. The bookies’ favourite is former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel. Prices as of 19 April.
- Thomas Tuchel: 6/1
- Joachim Loew: 13/2
- Brendan Rodgers: 10/1
- Massimiliano Allegri: 10/1
- Carlo Ancelotti: 12/1
- Thierry Henry: 14/1
- Lucien Favre: 16/1
- Luis Enrique: 16/1
- Mikel Arteta: 16/1
- Thomas Tuchel: 6/4
- Carlo Ancelotti: 4/1
- Joachim Loew: 5/1
- Massimiliano Allegri: 8/1
- Brendan Rodgers: 10/1
- Thierry Henry: 10/1
- Lucien Favre: 12/1
- Leonardo Jardim: 14/1
- Mikel Arteta: 14/1
- Patrick Vieira: 14/1
- Carlo Ancelotti: 5/1
- Thomas Tuchel: 7/1
- Joachim Loew: 8/1
- Massimiliano Allegri: 8/1
- Lucien Favre: 10/1
- Patrick Vieira: 10/1
- Sean Dyche: 12/1
- Thierry Henry: 12/1
- Brendan Rodgers: 12/1
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