Reports: Massimiliano Allegri verbally agrees to become next Arsenal manager

What’s the story?

A report in the Express suggests that the current Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri, has agreed to take over as the manager of Arsenal at the end of the season. The rumours of Arsene Wenger’s departure from the Emirates stadium at the end of the season have picked up pace after a string of depressing results.

The Italian manager is rumoured to have verbally agreed to move to London to take charge of Arsenal, but that will only happen if Wenger does not sign the two-year contract that is on the table for him.

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Allegri has been hugely successful as manager of Juventus, winning two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies and also narrowly missing out in the 2015 Champions League final. The Italian manager also won the 2010-11 Serie A when he was the manager of AC Milan.

Arsene Wenger, who completed 20 years as the manager of Arsenal this season, has been roundly criticised for failing to win trophies, with his last Premier League title coming in the 2003-04 season.

The heart of the matter

Wenger’s stock as Arsenal manager has fallen rapidly this season which was only exacerbated by the humiliating 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 game at Allianz Arena.

The recent loss to Liverpool over the weekend hasn’t helped the team in holding onto the Champions League spots on the Premier League table, nor has it helped in silencing the ‘Wenger Out’ brigade.

Allegri has won two Serie A titles with Juventus and is on course for another one

Allegri refused to speak about him being linked to the Arsenal post and said that he was focussed on winning trophies at Juventus. He also said that he is contracted till 2018 and will leave it to the board to decide if he stays or goes, “Even if there was something in it, the first to know and learn my wish to leave would be Juventus … I'm contracted until 2018. I'm not the one to decide my future – Juventus will. It is they who decide because it's the way I work and have worked previously,” said the Italian manager.

What’s next?

Arsene Wenger also recently revealed that he will disclose his future at Arsenal by March or April. The French manager has a contract on the table but it is up to him whether he will extend his stay at the club.

Sportskeeda’s Take

Massimiliano Allegri is a fine manager who has made Juventus into one of the strongest teams in Europe and his managerial prowess cannot be questioned as he has won the Serie A with two different clubs. Wenger’s time is up and it would be in the best interest of the manager and the club for him to bow out gracefully as a legend instead of being pushed out of the door.