Arsenal have suffered a critical blow in their pursuit of finding a new manager after Brendan Rodgers ended speculation linking him to the position, signing a new deal with Leicester to keep him at the club until June 2025. 

The former-Liverpool manager was appointed in February, leaving Celtic prior to an almost guaranteed title to re-establish himself in the Premier League. Indeed, he has made quite the impression, winning 17 of his 26 Premier League games thus far, guiding Leicester to second in the table.

In doing so, he has equalled the club record of seven consecutive top-flight wins, confirmed following Wednesday's 2-0 win against Watford. As such, he has attracted the attention of clubs across Europe, with the merry-go-round of managerial changes continuing apace. 

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Arsenal suffer managerial blow as Rodgers pens new Leicester deal

Following the dismissal of Unai Emery last week, Arsenal had been heavily linked with the Northern Irishman, particularly given his affinity for possession-based, attacking football. The club board had identified him as one of several names at the top of their wish list, meaning news of his new deal with the Foxes comes as a hammer blow.

The 46-year-old made the following statement following the news: "When I made the decision to come to Leicester, it was because I was excited about the direction the club was taking and how I could apply my experience to the journey," Rodgers told Leicester's official website.

“I’ve inherited an outstanding team of staff that are dedicated to progress and improvement and we have a group of players that are a joy to work with every day.

“And to the club’s supporters, I can only say thank you for welcoming me and my staff into your club and for putting your faith in our work.

"We’ll continue to work together to bring success to Leicester City for many years to come."

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Gunners to continue managerial hunt as Ljungberg suffers defeat at Emirates  

Arsenal remain on the hunt for a manager, with Freddie Ljungberg taking temporary charge of the Gunners in the meantime. The former-midfielder suffered defeat in his first home game at the Emirates, leaving the club in tenth place, just five points above the relegation zone.

As such, the need for positive results is only increasing as the weeks wear on, with hopes of European football next season already looking bleak. Such a fragile situation will likely see the Arsenal board continue to search for the next man to take the club forward, while hopes remain that Ljungberg can inject much needed confidence into the side. 

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