Following on from last weekend’s FA Cup triumph over Hull City 64-year-old Arsene Wenger has agreed to sign a new three-year contract that will keep him at the Emirates until 2017.
The deal which according to the Daily Telegraph includes £100 million to be made available for transfers sees the Frenchman earning £7.5 million per year (£145,000 per-week) as he enters his third decade in charge of the club.
Asked if he would sign the new contract before the World Cup Wenger said: “Yes, because I go to Brazil on June 10.”
The decision by Wenger reflects his belief that the core of the squad is capable of winning the Premiership while also challenging for the Champions League, and unlike previous summers the majority of the players are all tied down to long-term contract meaning he will be free to decide how he wants to spend the £100 million he has been given following new commercial deals with Puma and Emirates airline.
The first two positions Wenger will most likely fill are that of a striker and a central midfielder with talk of Bayern Munich’s Mario Mandzukic, Swansea’s Wilfried Bony and QPR’s Loic Remy all being mentioned.
As for a midfielder Lars Bender and Javi Martinez are two names being mentioned as being on Wenger’s list of player he wants, while vice-captain Mikel Arteta will enter talks over the summer with his contract set to expire in 2015, and would like a better offer than the one-year deal the club has been offering to players over the age of 30.
Most of the other Premiership managers are busy trying to get deals in place before the World Cup kicks off on June 12th, but Wenger already admitted nothing will happen at Arsenal until after the tournament.
