The debate is well underway regarding who should succeed Arsene Wenger despite the fact that the Frenchman hasn’t actually left yet.
A 2-0 win over Hull City brought a little harmony back to Arsenal, but there were swathes of empty seats at the Emirates as a reminder of the discord surrounding the manager’s position.
The Gunners are all but out of the title race even if Chelsea did drop points against Burnley – so it does make sense that the club are preparing for Wenger to step down when his contract expires in the summer.
Yet, while Juventus’ Max Allegri and Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Tuchel seem the most likely candidates, the Mirror have thrown another name into the mix.
The newspaper have made the rather surprising claim that Rafael Benitez is a possible candidate, despite currently managing in the Championship with Newcastle – and being a former Chelsea boss.
The Spaniard seems happy at St James’ Park, but having won the Champions League with Liverpool, it would surely be tempting for him to have another crack at taking charge of a really top club.
Benitez would be keen to take Thierry Henry with him as an assistant were he to arrive in north London, and that would certainly soften the blow for a lot of fans.
It remains to be seen what reception the 56-year-old would get if he was appointed, but it’s not likely to be an overwhelmingly positive one.
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