Arsenal are reportedly set to build a statue outside the Emirates Stadium, in honour of their most successful manager, Arsene Wenger. When Wenger left the Gunners after 22 years of service, he didn’t leave empty handed – having won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups in his tenure. It was clear he had been the most successful manager at Arsenal but towards the end of his career, he was critiqued for his ‘old-fashioned’ play style which saw Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time with Wenger in the role, which ultimately led to his sacking.
During his time at the club he brought in young talents who eventually turned into global superstars, with Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp being two of his best signings. Both of these players have already been immortalised, having statues built outside the stadium as a reminder of their iconic moments in a red and white shirt. However, this poses the question of why Wenger is yet to receive a statue – after all, these players would have likely never played for Arsenal if it wasn’t for the Frenchman.
Wenger returned to the stadium for the first time since leaving the club to watch Arsenal beat West Ham in a Boxing Day clash. He was spotted in the directors box after being invited back by Arsenal and Arteta. With this sighting, many Arsenal fans are now keen to see Wenger every matchday in the form of a statue to immortalise him and thank him for his iconic tenure at the club.