Wenger Reacts to Calls to Become Next Arsenal Chairman

Arsene Wenger insists he is ‘not a candidate’ to become Arsenal chairman after Sir Chips Keswick announced his decision to step down from the role.

Sir Chips has spent 15 years on the Arsenal board and seven years as chairman before deciding to end his stint at the top of the club, leaving Stan Kroenke, Josh Kroenke, Lord Harris and Ken Friar on the board.

The north London club are now looking for a new figure to take the helm – and Wenger, who is now FIFA’s chief of global football development after spending 22 years as Arsenal’s manager, has been linked to the post.
However, Wenger had a blunt response to being described as a ‘candidate’ for the position.

‘The candidate says that he’s not a candidate,’ Wenger told BeINSports.

Martin Keown had previously called for Wenger to be handed the role.
‘Sir Chips is somebody who had been there for 15 years, took over from Peter Hill-Wood, so I think the club have been respectful with the work he’s done there,’ Keown told talkSPORT.

‘It would be something special to see Arsene Wenger come onto the board.
‘I don’t think so somehow, I think he’s said recently he doesn’t want to do that, never saw himself as someone who would sit on the board but they could do a lot worse.

‘You know that I feel that would be almost the perfect answer for Kroenke, the young Josh Kroenke, he needs that older person perhaps around, someone with the experience.
‘Other people would think that it would be intimidating for [Mikel] Arteta – I don’t think so.

‘If you’re a successful-type personality, you don’t really mind who else is in the building. You embrace that knowledge that could come in through the door.
‘So I would applaud that if Arsenal Football Club were to bring Arsene Wenger onto the board.’

June 13, 2020