Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has been through a lot with the team during the 22 years he has been there. However, he recently announced that at the end of the season he would hand over his title to someone new. His current team, former players and fans alike will undoubtedly miss the 68-year-old. Even his previous rivals had only good things to say about him. Alex Ferguson, the former manager of Manchester United, stated, “He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest Premier League managers.” Meanwhile, José Mourinho, the current manager of Manchester United and possibly Wenger’s greatest foe, expressed nothing but respect for Wegner. Some see it as the end of an era for Arsenal, but there’s plenty to look forward to in regards to the club’s future. The main question right now is, “Who’s going to replace the Frenchman?” Let’s take a look at the three primary candidates, who by the way, are all a lottttt younger.
Mikel Arteta
The retired Spanish midfielder is getting much attention. Arteta is the assistant coach of Manchester City. The same team led by the brilliant Pep Guardiola, and also the same team who just won the Premier League. Not only has Arteta received guidance under a very successful head coach, but he has a history with Arsenal, as a former captain of the team. Critics believe he has a lack of managerial experience; however, the 36-year-old is known for his innovative style of play and is expected to bring fresh ideas to the club.
Luis Enrique
The 47-year-old stepped down as manager of FC Barcelona in 2017 to go on sabbatical and has recently been searching for a management position with a top English team. It seems like this may now be his chance. The former Real Madrid and FC Barcelona player has acquired some boastful stats over the course of his managerial career. Enrique has won two La Liga titles as well as the Champions League. In his three seasons with Barcelona, the team won nine (out of a possible thirteen) trophies. It’s obvious this guy doesn’t mess around.
Domenico Tedesco
At the ripe age of 32, Tedesco is a cherub compared to Wenger. The FC Schalke manager is also relatively new to the whole manager thing. He has only one year of experience so far. Despite this, he has done a lot for his team in that small amount of time. Schalke is ranked second in the Bundesliga, and this can be attributed mainly to Tedesco’s form of coaching. He’s a big proponent of defending. He believes a team should focus on defense first, and scoring second. Based on Arsenal’s past season, this type of thinking may be exactly what the club needs.