Long-time Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed the idea of working under a director of football at the Emirates despite the sky high level of dissatisfaction from fans.
The club wants to create the new role, as other top sides, whether Wenger agrees to stay or not.
Arsenalhave reportedly started looking out for potential candidates. The director of football at German side Borussia Dortmund Michael Zorc, the head of international recruitment at Arsenal Francis Cagigao, and former Gunners star and current technical director at Ajax Marc Overmars are some of the likely candidates.
After Arsenal yet again failed to deliver a real challenge in the Premier League, the Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis is keen on restructuring the club this summer. Wenger himself said he did not fully understand the meaning of Gazidis’ statement when he said there situation was a “catalyst for change.” The relationship between Wenger and Gazidis is believed to be strained. However, Wenger has said clearly that he would not stay under a director of football.
“No. I don’t know what ‘director of football’ means. Is it somebody who stands in the road and directs play right and left? I don’t understand and I never did understand what it means. Sorry, no. I’m not prepared to talk about that.
“I’m the manager of Arsenal Football Club and as long as I’m manager of Arsenal Football Club, I will decide what happens on the technical front,” Wenger declared.
The Chief, Wenger and the club’s transfer adviser, Dick Law held a meeting recently over possible summer targets. Gazidis reportedly wants Law out but he is a close ally of Wenger.
With a game in hand, Arsenal are six points behind fourth-placed Man City. They are set to play Southampton next, even as the possibility of finishing in the top four remains slim.