Arsenal’s future without Arsene Wenger caught the wind of media speculation after Josh Kroenke, the son of the owner, Stan Kroenke was reported to have taken up residence in North London in order to review the club’s operations. The club has expressed that the 37-year-old’s visit is simply to observe and not to meddle with the way it is run by the Frenchman.
While one can choose to believe Arsenal’s statements, the longtime critics of Wenger can start to see the hidden truth. Arsene Wenger signed a two-year contract with the club last summer and it is expected that a successor will be named when the current season comes to an end.
Things are quite different in the Emirates than the general trend that is being followed by the Premier League elites. A manager is appointed and if he fails to deliver a major trophy or two, he gets the axe.
However, after spending 21 years with the North London side, Wenger’s job is still secure even though the Premier League title has eluded him for the last 14 years. The 8-year trophy drought was broken after the Gunners won the FA Cup in 2015 and staged themselves as the club with the most number of trophies in the competition.
Sadly that has been their only taste of glory in recent times as the North London side has fallen to even further depths in terms of their title challenge in recent times. They finished the previous season in the 6th place and only managed a place in the Europa League.
Qualifying for the Champions League somehow gave the Gunners an identity in Europe and failing to make an appearance in the competition for 2 seasons in a row might just be the last straw for Wenger. They just registered a 1-0 loss to their rivals, Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the month and have fallen 8 points below the top 4 spots in the Premier League.
If the club does have to think about a replacement, here are a few names they can consider.
Luis Enrique
He is a decorated coach who has won 9 trophies in his 3-year stint with Barcelona. After a rewarding but at the same time exhausting period with the La Liga giants, Enrique chose to step down from his post and spend a year on sabbatical. The year is coming to an end and the Spaniard has already been targetted by a host of European clubs. Arsenal can be one of the few to give him a new home.
Antonio Conte
It is unclear as to how long the Italian will hold his position as the Chelsea boss. Simply based on rumours coming out of media outlets, Arsenal can provide the former Juventus boss with an escape to North London if he does end up facing the axe.
Sean Dyche
Burnley has been a revelation this season with their eyes set on the European qualification spot of the Premier League. Dyche’s style of play demands discipline and excellence from all his players and this has paid off ten folds in recent times. With the limited resources the club has if they do finish the season in the 7th spot over the likes of Everton and Leicester City, Dyche is well deserving of a promotion to an elite side.
