[Archive 2018-04-23] English football: Arsène Wenger to leave Arsenal at season end

Historical archive — originally published 2018-04-23. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

The Frenchman is the longest currently-serving Premier League manager, having managed Arsenal for 21 and a half years. He succeeded Bruce Rioch as Arsenal's manager on October 1, 1996. During his tenure, Wenger won three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and seven FA Community Shield titles. In 2002–2003, Arsenal became the only club to win the Premier League undefeated. Under Wenger, The Gunners qualified for the UEFA Champions League for 20 consecutive seasons.

Arsenal under Wenger has had over 57% win rate in the English Premier League. Arsenal was sixth in the league table when Wenger announced the decision, fourteen points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, their arch-rivals. Arsenal is to face Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Europa League in the coming week. Arsenal trails current Premier League winners Manchester City by 33 points.

Last week, Arsenal lost their eleventh Premier League match of the season, which ended in a 2–1 win for Newcastle United. Under Wenger, Arsenal has never lost more than eleven matches in a single season.

Source and licence

Text adapted from English football: Arsène Wenger to leave Arsenal at season end by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.