Wenger: I’m still hungry for Gunners glory

ARSENE WENGER has revealed the desire to take Arsenal on to even greater success burns as bright as it did when he first arrived at Highbury eight years ago.

The Arsenal manager yesterday agreed a three-year extension to his current contract with the Gunners, which will see him stay with the Premiership champions until the end of May 2008 and allow the Frenchman to oversee the team as they move to their new stadium at Ashburton Grove.

Since his arrival at Highbury in September 1996, the impact which Wenger, now 55, has had is nothing sort of revolutionary.

In conjunction with players he signed and turned into world-class stars like Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, Wenger has made the north London club the dominant force in English football.

During his tenure, Wenger has won the league title and the FA Cup three times each. His Gunners have finished outside the Premiership’s top two only once, when they were third in 1997.

Arsenal went through last season unbeaten, with their record-breaking 49-match undefeated run finally coming to an end with a 2-0 loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. Success in the Champions League, however, continues to elude them.

Wenger - who has often been linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid - is all too aware his side may never be held in such high esteem in some quarters until they bring the European Cup back to the red half of north London.

“I still have so much to achieve and my target is to drive this club on - not only by sustaining our recent success but building upon it,” Wenger declared after putting pen to paper on his new deal.

“These are exciting times for Arsenal and I’m proud to be the manager. My intention has always been clear,” he added on the club’s official website, www.arsenal.com.

“I love this club and am very happy here - signing a new contract just rubber stamps my desire to take this club forward and fulfil my ambitions.”

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood welcomed the news Wenger would be staying on.

“We are absolutely delighted that Arsene has signed an extension to his contract,” said Hill-Wood.

“Since his arrival in 1996, he has revolutionised the club both on and off the pitch.

“As well as the six major honours he’s won during his time here, Arsene has been a leading influence behind all the major initiatives at the club including the construction of our new training centre and also our new stadium.

“The club has continued to reap the benefits of Arsene’s natural eye for unearthing footballing talent and we currently have a fantastic crop of young players coming through the ranks together with a number of world-class players.”

It has already been indicated Wenger would be offered a seat on the Arsenal board when he eventually decides to call time on his coaching career.

But club director Danny Fiszman feels the Frenchman may well stay on past the end of his newly-negotiated deal.

“When we come towards the end of his contract we will both review the situation. I’m sure we will want him to stay on and I hope he will too,” Fiszman said on Sky Sports News. “There has never been an issue of Arsene wanting to go anywhere else.

“We have a great future with the new stadium coming through in the next 18 months and I don’t think he thinks he has come anywhere near finishing the job.”