'Eight more years' for Wenger

Arsenal's managing director Keith Edelman has predicted manager Arsene Wenger will stay at the club for another eight years.

Last year, Wenger's future at the club appeared to be in doubt when vice-chairman David Dein left Arsenal as the American businessman Stan Kroenke seemed to be mounting a takeover bid.

But that speculation has died down and Arsenal are top of the Premier League so Edelman beleieves Wenger will remain at the club as long as he is on the board.

Edelman said: "I don't think it's something we're contemplating at this juncture. He has just the other day announced he has a hunger to go on forever.

"He won't go on forever, that's an exaggeration on his part, but I don't think it will be my problem.

"I've got another seven or eight years to go (at the club) and it won't be my worry."

Edelman is also convinced the Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov is not mounting a takeover bid despite increasing his stake in the club to 24.2 per cent through the company Red and White Holdings.

Edelman said: "We were always advised by them that they would build their stake to 25 per cent but we have a lockdown which makes us bullet-proof and that's a word I've used before.

"We watch what they do and we make announcements when they go each extra percent but it's business as usual.

"We have stated our objectives are to play good football, to look after our fanbase and to make a profit and the current board are delivering on all those objectives."

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