Arsenal Must Step Up and Hand Arsene Wenger a New Contract

Arsene Wenger has opened the door to the negotiation room by signalling his intention to remain in England, and Arsenal must act by tying him to a new contract.

In an interview with the Associated Press, via the New Zealand Herald, the Frenchman has spoken of contentment with life at the Emirates.

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I love to do well. I just feel I am happy if I can give some pleasure and happiness to people who love Arsenal. That is my main target. When I don't achieve that I am very disappointed.

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Those words should be music to the ears of Arsenal and their fans, as it is a clear indication that Wenger wants to continue his journey with the club.

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Miss the old days. Ferguson at United, AVB at Chelsea, Redknapp at Spurs and Dalglish at Liverpool. But hey, Arsene Wenger's still there 😊

— Sarah AFC (@SarahRashid5) October 10, 2013"

That journey began in 1996 and has yielded four FA Cups and three Premier League titles.

It has not been a smooth journey, as the last of those pieces of silverware, an FA Cup, came in 2005.

Year after year, Arsenal fans have been forced to tick off another campaign without anything tangible to show, while the likes of Manchester United—for a long time the main rivals of the Gunners—Chelsea and more recently Manchester City have dominated the Premier League.

In recent seasons, the Gunners have had to content themselves with being also-rans in the Premier League and the Champions League, while there was frustration among fans with the club’s transfer policy.

Since Ashley Cole departed for Chelsea in 2006, a series of big-name stars—Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie the most high-profile—have left the Emirates without being replaced. The club’s careful approach to spending in the transfer market coupled with their failure to challenge for honours prompted some to suggest the time had come for Wenger to move on.

Those calls were resisted by the Gunners, with majority shareholder Stan Kroenke throwing his weight behind Wenger.

Speaking to the Telegraph’s Jeremy Wilson in 2011, Kroenke said: "I have tremendous confidence in him. He is one of the great managers in the world.”

The recent summer window looked set to be a frustrating one for Arsenal, following failed bids for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez, but Wenger released the purse strings late in the window to capture Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.

The £44 million spent on Ozil signalled a major change in policy for Arsenal and Wenger. The early indications are that it has been a positive move as Ozil has settled in superbly, while previously frustrating players such as Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud are thriving.

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Aaron Ramsey and Arsene Wenger have been names PL player and manager of the month for September! pic.twitter.com/9tTpAoIUUe

— TheSPORTBible (@TSBible) October 8, 2013"

It is very early in the season, but after seven games, Arsenal are top of the Premier League and looking like they could mount a serious challenge for honours.

With that in mind, the Gunners need to act on Wenger’s comments and tie him to a new deal as soon as possible to ensure the focus remains on the team’s on-field efforts.