Arsenal keeper believes Wenger should reject England

Matt Stead

Arsene Wenger should stay at Arsenal in a bid to deliver the Premier League title rather than take on the challenge of rebuilding England, according to goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

The 66-year-old Frenchman is reported to be on the Football Association’s radar once more as the search for a permanent successor to Roy Hodgson continues following an early end to the Three Lions’ Euro 2016 campaign with a humiliating defeat to Iceland.

Wenger is heading into the final season of his current contract, with suggestions the Emirates Stadium club are ready to look at another extension.

The Arsenal manager has always stated he believes the England job needs to be filled by an English coach, and Press Association Sport understands this view remains unchanged.

Szczesny came through the youth ranks at Arsenal, before spending last season on loan at Roma following the arrival of Petr Cech.

The 26-year-old, part of the Poland squad which went out of Euro 2016 on penalties to Portugal in Marseille on Thursday night, believes Arsenal’s future is best served with Wenger still at the helm.

“I am sure he would be a great thing for England, but my main interest is Arsenal and I hope it doesn’t happen, for the sake of Arsenal, not for the sake of England,” Szczesny told the London Evening Standard.

“England had a disappointing Euro 2016 and changes will be made but, hopefully, that will not affect our club.

“I hope it is something that will not happen because he is doing a fantastic job at Arsenal and I would love to see him stay.”

Szczesny’s own Arsenal future may be in doubt, but the Pole believes the Gunners can go one better than their runners-up finish to Leicester last season.

“That’s what we love about the Premier League, the competitiveness, so we can’t complain about it. Leicester fully deserved the title in what was an amazing story. Maybe it was a missed opportunity for Arsenal but they had a good go and came close,” he added.

“It was disappointing for me to see as a fan but with the new signing (Granit) Xhaka and possibly one or two more, we can compete again.

“People have been saying for 20-odd years that our place in the top four is under threat and we keep finishing there. But I don’t think that should be the goal for Arsenal. We should be aiming to win titles and I see a big opportunity next season.”

Szczesny says he will take some time to “relax and think about my future”, but the speculation over Wenger’s potential role within a revamped England set-up is unlikely to dissipate ahead of the new domestic campaign.