Wenger signs new deal at Emirates

London - The Premier League's
longest-serving current manager
Arsene Wenger will stay at Arsenal
into a third decade after signing a
three-year contract extension that
will keep him at the Emirates
Stadium until 2017, the Premier
League club said on Friday.
"Wenger has been with Arsenal for
17 years, making him the longest-
serving and most successful
manager in the history of the
club," the north London side said
in a statement.
The 64-year-old Frenchman has
led Arsenal to three Premier
League titles and five FA Cups
since joining from Japanese club
Nagoya Grampus Eight 18 years
ago but this month's 3-2 FA Cup
final win over Hull City was their
first silverware since 2005.
Wenger had delayed putting pen
to paper on a new contract,
despite stating publicly that he
was planning to stay at the
London club.
"I want to stay and to continue to
develop the team and the club,"
Wenger said.
"We are entering a very exciting
period. We have a strong squad,
financial stability and huge
support around the world. We are
all determined to bring more
success to this club.
"The club has always shown faith
in me and I'm very grateful for
that. We have gone through
fantastic periods and also periods
where we have had to stick
together.
"Every time when that
togetherness was tested I got the
right response. I think I have
shown some loyalty as well
towards this club and hopefully
we can make some more history. I
am sure we can."
Arsenal led the Premier League for
much of last season before fading
to fourth, good enough to secure
Champions League football for a
17th successive year.
SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
"Sustained excellence is the
hardest thing to achieve in sport
and the fact Arsenal has
competed at the top of the game
in England and Europe throughout
the time Arsene has been
manager, is the ultimate
testimony to his consistency of
performance, talent and
ambition," Arsenal's majority
shareholder Stan Kroenke said.
"We are delighted with the FA
Cup success which has added to
his already outstanding record.
Under his guidance we look
forward to adding more trophies
in future seasons."
A virtual unknown when he joined
the club in October 1996, Wenger,
dubbed The Professor, oversaw a
revolution in the way Arsenal
played and led them to league
and cup doubles in 1997-98 and
2001-02.
Three more trophies followed in
the next three seasons, including
the 2003-04 title as Arsenal
became the first side to go
through a Premier League season
without defeat.
After FA Cup glory in 2005 and a
Champions League final
appearance the following year,
financial constraints imposed by
the club's move from Highbury to
the Emirates Stadium meant
Arsenal were unable to match the
high transfer fees and big wages
offered by Chelsea and
Manchester City.
Champions League qualification
became the major target as
leading players such as Thierry
Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van
Persie and Samir Nasri left the
club.
After years of relative austerity
Wenger finally splashed out on
German playmaker Mesut Ozil
from Real Madrid last season, with
reports suggesting he was
awaiting assurances over the size
of his transfer kitty before
committing to a new contract.
Having overseen the arrival of
Patrick Vieira and Henry early in
his time at Arsenal, Wenger can
point to the emergence of young
British talent in Jack Wilshere,
Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey as
proof of his player development
abilities.
The supporters, however, are still
crying out for significant
investment to boost hopes of
league success.
Wenger's 1000th match in charge
of the Gunners ended in a 6-0
humiliation by Chelsea in March,
but Arsenal managed to withstand
a challenge from Everton for
fourth spot to ensure their
participation in Europe's elite
club competition was guaranteed
for another season.