Arsene Wenger has officially ended months of uncertainty at Arsenal with the announcement he has signed an extended two-year deal until summer 2019.
Following widespread reports on Tuesday, the Club's official website broke the news on Wednesday afternoon, with many still split over his decision to stay on at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger stays on
After beating Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday in the FA Cup Final to record an unprecedented double in the record books, winning not only the Gunners' 13th FA Cup win, but Wenger's seventh time to lift the famous old trophy. The Frenchman clearly still believes he has unfinished business at the club.
Arsenal have now won the cup three times in the last four years, with Arsene Wenger again refusing to walk away on a high, having retained the trophy back in 2015 against Aston Villa with an emphatic 4-0 win. It is a decision that has once more divided opinion amongst the Arsenal fanbase.
With many still critical of the Gunners' hierarchy including club majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, there has now been a rallying call for supporters to back Wenger, whilst others are now fearful of yet more torment and anger over the next 24 months - with the club now out of the Champions League.
23 years in charge?
Wenger's decision to stay in North London takes his tenure at the club to 23 years by 2019, extended his proud record as football's longest-serving top level manager.
Originally appointed in September 1996 from Grampus Eight of Japan's J League, the 67 year-old has won 16 trophies during his time with Arsenal, but feels there is more to come.
Explaining his decision to stay on, Wenger told arsenal.com “I love this club and I am looking forward to the future with optimism and excitement".
He added that "this is a strong group of players and with some additions we can be even more successful", finishing "we’re committed to mounting a sustained league challenge and that will be our focus this summer and next season."
For Arsenal, the task now begins to strengthen the squad, whilst attempting to hold onto prized assets Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil, with both set to reject the club's final contract offer - the Chilean reportedly to leave the North Londoners this summer.