Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will sign a new contract at Arsenal before he heads off to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil next month.
The 64-year-old’s current deal at Emirates Stadium is due to expire at the end of June, but he has been discussing an extended stay with the north Londoners.
Following Saturday’s FA Cup final success against Hull City – the Gunners’ first silverware in nine years – Wenger revealed that he is now close to putting pen-to-paper.
Wenger will be flying out to Brazil ahead of the World Cup, which starts on June 12, to work as a pundit for French television and the deal will be finalised by then. But some reports suggest he could have it signed and sealed by the middle of this week.
Wenger said: “Yes (it will be done), because I go to Brazil on the 10th of June.”
Wenger also spoke out to defend his record with Arsenal, having come in for some criticism over his lack of trophy success in the past nine years.
He added: “We live in a world where people tell you always what you have not (done), they never tell you that you have done something as well.
“I believe as well the quality of a club is the consistency and then the special players make you win the trophies.
“The quality of the consistency is important for the club and on that front we have been better than everybody else – there are only two clubs in Europe who have 17 years consecutively qualified for the Champions League and that consistency demands special values inside the club.”
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