Arsenal chief executive backs Wenger and says club is ready to challenge again

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis says Arsene Wenger will remain at the helm of Arsenal for many years to come, and says there is great belief throughout the club that Arsenal can challenge for titles once more.

“We always have to do things better than our competitors, that is our challenge, but there is a real belief we can win the Premier League and compete to win major trophies in the next few years,” he said in an ESPN report.

He lauded Wenger for his management of the club through a difficult financial spell and says the boss remains as ambitious as ever.

“It is difficult to imagine anybody else could have done it as well as Arsene. I think Arsene has had tremendous support from the board and in return Arsene has really put the club first and made sure we progressed through that period and come out of it strongly,” said Gazidis.

“I joke that we are developing our training ground and one of the things we are doing is putting a cryo-chamber in there and if we put Arsene in there we can preserve him for a little longer.”

“But he is in great shape — fit, enthusiastic, as hungry as ever and ambitious as ever, and he can see what is happening with this squad and he is very excited about the direction of travel so we aren’t thinking at all about changes.”

Gazidis concluded by saying the club has put measures in place for the long term successor of Wenger, but hopes they won’t be needed for a long time.

“Of course long-term you have to have the right infrastructures in place and a lot of work is going into that with Arsene’s support and involvement as he knows at some point — and I hope that will be far down the road — he will step aside and someone will step into his large shoes.”

The boss has the backing of the board as always, and let’s hope this season is the beginning of a return to the glory days.