Arsenal: Should Arsene Wenger Be Given A Contract Extension?
Arsenal are steaming toward a future of uncertainty without Arsene Wenger. Should the long time manager be offered a contract extension when his current deal expires next Summer?
It is one of the greatest mysteries in football: how a man of such success can lead a team to a decade of dearth. That is exactly what Arsene Wenger has managed at Arsenal and it is a baffling state of affairs that has led to many calling for the sacking of the legendary manager.
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The old adage goes that form is temporary and class is permanent, but at some point, form becomes class. How long does it take for bad form to become nothing more than bad quality?
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That is a question that is circling around the Emirates and Arsene Wenger is at the center of it. His success in his early years with the club were such that they have bought him time in a demanding job throughout a decade of disappointments.
However, with only a year left on his current deal, the doubts over Wenger’s future at Arsenal are growing. It has led to some to label this coming season as a make or break year for the Arsenal legend, positing that it could possibly be the Frenchman’s last year as manager of the North London club.
This leads me to ask a rather simple question with a complicated answer: Should Arsenal offer Arsene Wenger a contract extension?
First and foremost, it is certainly a possibility that Arsene Wenger could be the recipient of such an offer. Chairman Ivan Gazidiz has recently backed Wenger stating:
"“The reason we have Arsene as our manager is because our board believes he can deliver success. he reason that Arsene is here is because he believes that he can deliver success. If either of us didn’t believe that, we would not be constrained by nostalgia or longing; we would have to make a change. Obviously, he is going to be managing us next year and we are planning and making many decisions for the long term.”"
There is clearly an intent from Arsenal to keep Wenger at the club beyond this next season. Wenger is a legend at this club, has enjoyed great success, and although he has had to endure struggles in recent years, he is beginning to turn the corner in the transfer market.
His reluctancy to splash the cash has been the biggest gripe on Wenger during his tenure with the club. Now, though, it is a gripe that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Wenger has spent north of £30 million on three occasions in the past four Summer transfer windows, with the latest of these being the signing of Swiss international Granit Xhaka.
There is already reported intent from Wenger to add further players to the squad in Jamie Vardy from Leicester and Ricardo Rodriguez from Wolfsbrug. If Wenger does follow through with such intent, it would seem naive to not give a once successful manager time to develop and mold a new squad.
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He deserves time. His record with Arsenal merits that. Whether he will get it, is another question, but Wenger and Arsenal will have to show progress next season if he is indeed to receive a contract extension.