Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has announced that he will step down at the season. After 22 years, three Premier League titles, a record seven FA Cup titles and a very long streak of Champions League qualification that came to an end last season, tributes to the Frenchman are pouring in from all over the world.
As the football media look back in reflection on the 68-year-old’s legacy, it’s also a time to look forward. Wenger himself has not announced his future plans, but the club have said they are underway with their ambitious managerial search.
Here are four of the leading candidates according to Sky Bet via Odds Checker, along with the odds at which each manager is being backed. We also included one long shot who has been previously linked to the gig. Click on each manager’s name where highlighted for more on why they could be the right fit to succeed Wenger.
About a month ago German football legend Lothar Matthaus said of Tuchel toย Bild: “He’s in contact with Arsenal.”
The former boss at Borussia Dortmund reportedly passed up the opportunity to lead Bayern Munich because he already has an agreement in place to lead another major club outside of Deutschland. Some believe that club is Arsenal, and if so, it would be a nice fit as he would reunite with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Brendan Rodgers 3/1
This would be a relatively swift return, all things considered to the Premier League big six for the Northern Irishman. The odds are really getting slashed on the former Liverpool boss, who lead the Reds to a runner-up finish in 2013-14, before getting sacked and then replaced by Jurgen Klopp in October 2015.
Rodgers has rebuilt his reputation at Celtic, but maybe the brand rehab isn’t enough for a club and a situation with sky high expectations.
Given all the connections and the German national team, Low is one name you’re going to hear quite a bit until the actual decision is made. In fact he’s already been linked in reports to the north London club.ย Of course, transitioning from Wenger to Joachim Low is a lot easier said than done. He’s still under contract to lead the current World Cup champions until the 2020 Euros.
Patrick Vieira 9/2
An early front-runner because he is a former club captain who Wenger himself has talked up; to a certain degree. However, a jump from MLS (New York City FC) to the Premier League is a very big gap to bridge.
Another Arsenal man and fan favorite, who would make a really strong candidate if the club is prioritizing loyalty and passion for the club. He’s also openly discussed the possibility of assuming this role on more than one occasion.ย
Other names to consider:ย
Carlo Ancelotti (4/1) is as established and accomplished as any name you can drop right now, but he usually doesn’t take on “projects” and Arsenal are certainly rather shambolic right now. Massimiliano Allegri (12/1) has kept the Juventus juggernaut rolling for some time now, and his taking the Gunners, or Chelsea gig, would be a next logical step.
Paul M. Banks runsย The Sports Bank.netย and TheBank.News, which is partnered withย News Now.ย Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times,ย NBC Chicago.comย andย Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly toย WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging communityย Chicago Now.
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