Tony Pulis Reveals Arsene Wenger Told Him He Will Stay at Arsenal

West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has revealed that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger told him he was looking to stay on at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger's contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the campaign, and with no announcement made by the club, there's been plenty of speculation about his position. Pulis, speaking after the Baggies beat the Gunners 3-1 on Saturday, offered some insight into the situation.

"I'll be surprised if he goes," Pulis told the press, per Robin Bairner of Goal. Asked why that was his point of view, the West Brom boss said "because he told me."

After the match, Wenger suggested he had made his mind up over his position and revealed he would announce his intentions "very soon."

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According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, the Frenchman is set to tell the Arsenal board that he is keen to stay on as manager despite the growing unrest in the fanbase.

Indeed, as West Brom bullied the Gunners into submission at the Hawthorns on Saturday, banners popped up across the away section of the stadium calling for Wenger to leave the club. A plane was also flown overhead calling for his departure, while there have been protests from some supporters at recent home matches.

As noted by Daniel Storey of Football365, the whole situation feels like a bit of a mess at the moment:

The angst comes with Arsenal's season unravelling once again. While they have made it through to the FA Cup semi-final, the Gunners were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in embarrassing style and have lost ground in the race for a top-four finish.

However, Pulis backed the beleaguered Frenchman after the game. "I think he's the greatest manager Arsenal have ever had," he said. "They could finish in the top four and win an FA Cup—that's not too bad is it?"

Still, Arsenal supporters feel as though the team are now regressing, having previously hit their ceiling under Wenger's guidance.

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The Frenchman has always been determined to prove people wrong during his time in north London, though. With that in mind, football journalist Philippe Auclair expects Wenger to dig his heels in:

Nevertheless, it feels as though all those tied to the Gunners would benefit from some fresh leadership. Recent performances have been stale from Arsenal, with familiar flaws creeping into their play. They're issues that the manager must take the bulk of the responsibility for.

With a two-week break from domestic football to come, Arsenal supporters will hope to receive some clarity from the club over the manager's position, as the speculation surrounding the veteran coach is slowly turning into a circus.