Howe to replace Wenger THE CHOSEN ONE . . . Eddie Howe (right) will be considered to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. — The Daily Star
THE CHOSEN ONE . . . Eddie Howe (right) will be considered to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. — The Daily Star

THE CHOSEN ONE . . . Eddie Howe (right) will be considered to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. — The Daily Star

LONDON. — Arsenal have earmarked Eddie Howe as a potential successor to Arsene Wenger.

The 38-year-old is highly-rated after keeping Bournemouth in the Premier League last season and was even considered as a shock candidate for the England job before Sam Allardyce was chosen by the FA instead.

It’s understood Wenger himself is an avid admirer of Howe which could help the Cherries boss in being handed the role, with the Frenchman likely to have a say in who will succeed him at the Emirates.

Wenger has one year left on his current contract at Arsenal and it appears the club are already looking ahead to life without the 66-year-old.

Wenger has been at Arsenal for 20 years and is entering the final 12-months of his current contract.

Although there is no suggestion he is heading for the chop immediately, Starsport can reveal the Gunners board would not have stood in Wenger’s way if he had wanted to take over as England boss next summer, as the FA had originally wanted.

It’s a clear signal that Arsenal are now preparing for life after the 66-year-old.

Arsenal do not intend to let Wenger pick his eventual successor, although they will take his opinion into account.

But Howe’s attractive brand of football and adventurous approach is being seen as a perfect fit in the corridors of power at the Emirates Stadium, with Wenger also a fan of his.

Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis on Thursday turned up the heat on Wenger publicly warning of the need to win major trophies and stressing that Wenger’s past glories count for little.

Arsenal have not landed the title for 12 years while three FA Cup wins has failed to stop some growing unease among fans, some of whom protested against Wenger’s reign last season.

Wenger’s men were second in the league last season, pipping bitter rivals Tottenham at the death, but still finishing, 10 points adrift of champions Leicester.

Wenger’s men were second in the league last season, pipping bitter rivals Tottenham at the death, but still finishing, 10 points adrift of champions Leicester.

“We don’t have any sense of nostalgia,” said Gazidis. “Our support for Arsene Wenger is not based on the history of what he’s done for our football club, as extraordinary as that is.

“We’re very focused on the future. This is one of our core values is that we’re progressive and always moving forward.

“So what’s happened in the past is far less relevant to us as what’s happening as we look forward.

“We need to win the major titles, and we feel that pressure every day.

“And so for us, there is a sense of disappointment and frustration that last season we finished in second place. Second place isn’t what we’re aiming for. We’re aiming to win it.

“Our objective is to win the major trophies, and to put the club in a position where it can consistently compete for the major trophies.

“And I would add, very importantly for us, to do it in a way that’s consistent with our club values.”

But Gazidis sparked anger among fans by claiming the club cannot compete financially in the transfer market.

The Gunners finished second last season and boss Wenger responded last month by sealing a £35million deal for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka .

But Wenger has so far balked at meeting Lyon’s £40million asking price for striker Alexandre Lacazette. The French club has confirmed that Arsenal have had an offer of £29.3m rejected.

Arsenal are one of world football’s richest clubs according to a Deloitte Football Money League report published in January this year.

Yet Gazidis said: “We can’t afford to outgun competitors that have far more money. We have to be very careful, very selective.

“We would not be successful if we simply went out into the transfer market and tried to outgun our competitors. We’re run in a self-sustaining way, and a way that we believe in, because we believe it gives us certainty for the future, and enables us to plan our future with confidence. — The Daily Star.

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