Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis admits their biggest challenge will be replacing Arsene Wenger when the Frenchman eventually departs the club.
Gazidis feels the Gunners boss has put the club in a strong position while also laying the foundations for future success.
Wenger is currently the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been at the helm of the north London club for just over 18 years.
However, Gazidis knows that the time will eventually come for Arsenal to replace "Le Professeur".
He told the club's official website: "So much of the attention on a football club is around an individual and that's very understandable at Arsenal because we have a giant who's managing us.
"Arsene has been a fantastic driver and has put the club in a great, great position.
"The biggest challenge we're going to face as a club is that, when the transition from Arsene to the next manager of our football club happens - and I don't know what that's going to be - that we come through that strongly."
Having seen Arsenal end their trophy drought by claiming the FA Cup last season, Gazidis is hoping for more of the same.
He added: "Winning the FA Cup was a fantastic moment.
"In my life, that's one of my greatest moments. The moment you get away from the euphoria of the moment, the next question is, 'How do we have more of that?'
"We want this football club to be at the top of the world's game. If the manager believes in someone like Mesut Ozil, he can buy him. It's the same with Alexis Sanchez.
"Underneath that tip of the iceberg, those star signings that we talk a lot about, there's an awful lot else going on. Our youth development, for example, is going to be the foundation of this football club going forward.
"Where we are currently is off the shoulder of the world's top teams. I don't think we're at that level yet, but that's where we're aiming to get to.
Gazidis feels the Gunners boss has put the club in a strong position while also laying the foundations for future success.
Wenger is currently the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been at the helm of the north London club for just over 18 years.
However, Gazidis knows that the time will eventually come for Arsenal to replace "Le Professeur".
He told the club's official website: "So much of the attention on a football club is around an individual and that's very understandable at Arsenal because we have a giant who's managing us.
"Arsene has been a fantastic driver and has put the club in a great, great position.
"The biggest challenge we're going to face as a club is that, when the transition from Arsene to the next manager of our football club happens - and I don't know what that's going to be - that we come through that strongly."
Having seen Arsenal end their trophy drought by claiming the FA Cup last season, Gazidis is hoping for more of the same.
He added: "Winning the FA Cup was a fantastic moment.
"In my life, that's one of my greatest moments. The moment you get away from the euphoria of the moment, the next question is, 'How do we have more of that?'
"We want this football club to be at the top of the world's game. If the manager believes in someone like Mesut Ozil, he can buy him. It's the same with Alexis Sanchez.
"Underneath that tip of the iceberg, those star signings that we talk a lot about, there's an awful lot else going on. Our youth development, for example, is going to be the foundation of this football club going forward.
"Where we are currently is off the shoulder of the world's top teams. I don't think we're at that level yet, but that's where we're aiming to get to.
"We want Arsenal to be in that elite group of football clubs around the world."
