Arsene Wenger may have lost the backing of Arsenal Fan TV, Piers Morgan and those who fly banners over the Emirates, but he has maintained support in the two places where it matters most: in the boardroom and the dressing room.

The Frenchman finally signed a new two-year contract this week after one of the longest-running managerial sagas in the Premier League.

While many were expecting – perhaps hoping – that Wenger’s 21-year reign would come to an end after his most disappointing season in charge, Arsenal’s majority owner made clear that the club still trusts him to deliver success.

Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Show all 8 1 /8 Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats AC Milan 4 Arsenal 0, Champions League last 16 first leg, 2012 Another last-16 elimination, and another example of the tie being over before the second leg. A Robinho brace and goals from Kevin Prince-Boating and Zlatan Ibrahimovic meant Milan took a hefty lead back to the Emirates. The Gunners won that 3-0 but it was too little, too late. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester City 6 Arsenal 3, Premier League, 2013 Arsenal were top of the league at the time but were blown away by City to close the gap to three points. Slack defending cost them and even when Per Mertesacker headed in a late consolation goal to make it 5-3, Yaya Toure still had time to score a sixth. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1, Champions League Group Stage, 2015 Yes, remarkably, Tuesday night was is not even the second time Arsenal have lost 5-1 to Bayern. In last season’s Group Stage, Robert Lewandowski, David Alaba, Arjen Robben and two Thomas Muller goals saw to an embarrassing night for Wenger. Bongarts/Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1, Premier League, 2014 Liverpool were rampant three years ago and stormed into a four goal lead inside the opening 20 minutes at Anfield, including two goals from centre-back Martin Skrtel. Raheem Sterling made it five with Mikel Arteta’s penalty a mere consolation. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Tottenham 5 Arsenal 1, League Cup semi-final second leg, 2008 A humiliating scoreline – made all the worse by it being against the Gunners’ most bitter rivals. The defeat cost them a place in the League Cup final as Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor nearly violently clashed on the pitch. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester United 6 Arsenal 1, Premier League, 2001 Dwight Yorke bagged a first-half hat-trick at Old Trafford as United raced into a 5-1 lead by the break. Teddy Sheringham added a late sixth as the Red Devils went 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0, Premier League, 2014 Not the best way for Wenger to celebrate his 1000th game in charge of Arsenal. Chelsea were 3-0 up inside 17 minutes in a game which also saw Kieran Gibbs sent off in a case of mistaken identity with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2, Premier League, 2011 Wayne Rooney grabbed a hat-trick to help inflict Wenger’s biggest defeat as Arsenal boss. It was made all the worst as it was by a Manchester United team with a midfield of Tom Cleverley, Anderson, Nani and Ashley Young. Getty Images

“Our ambition is to win the Premier League and other major trophies in Europe,” Stan Kroenke said on Wednesday. “Arsene is the best person to help us make that happen. He has a fantastic track record and has our full backing.”

There has been sustained pressure from fans to sack Wenger this season, and had he lost the trust of his players then Arsenal’s board could have been tempted to part ways.

But looking back at quotes from the Arsenal squad over the course of the season, there has been little but public backing for the manager throughout.

“He's been a great servant to Arsenal and great manager for me and the players,” Aaron Ramsey said at Wenger's lowest ebb in March.

“We have let him down at times. It is unfair some of the things that have been said. People are entitled to their opinion but he has been great for me personally.”

Hector Bellerin took a similar stance: “The loyalty to this person is worth more than money, it's something very important to me. That he's there carries a lot of weight for me.”

Olivier Giroud said: “We want to see Arsene Wenger continue, to continue the adventure, because we support him.”

Mesut Ozil said in January: “I am very, very happy at Arsenal and have let the club know that I would be ready to sign a new contract. The fans want that I stay and now it is just down to the club.

“The club knows that I am here most of all because of Arsène Wenger. He is the one who signed me and he is the one whose trust I have. The club also knows that I want to be clear what the manager is going to [do in the future].”

Speaking to the club’s website Laurent Koscielny said: “You may say that we haven't won the title for a long time but he has not just built players, he's built men too.

“Every player who has played for Arsenal has grown here and has become a man. It's a big number (of players). For me and the others, it's a good opportunity to be with him and learn from him. He's passionate about football. He loves football and he loves to watch his team play well with the ball.

“Along with a lot of people, he's helped this club grow with a new stadium, a new training ground, and he built the platform for us to compete for the Premier League and Champions League every year.”

Theo Walcott, in true Wenger style, claimed not to know what was happening with the manager's contract, but said: “We just want to try to focus on the football. The manager is focused on us. You can see how passionate he is with us from the way he talks to us in the meetings.

“He will take this on himself but us players need to look at ourselves. The manager has been taking a lot of flak in recent weeks and us players have been accepting it, but we can’t.

Bellerin reiterated his loyalty to Wenger this week (Getty)

“We need to take the pressure off the manager and that will happen by performances. Who knows what the manager will do? Players just want to play football for this club and do well for the manager.”

Lucas Perez said: “It’s normal that after the defeat to Bayern there were criticisms.

“At the moment he does not transmit to us the idea that he is going to leave, but we do not know what’s going on in his mind.

“He is very excited about this season. He is calm. He has been here for a long time and has a lot of experience. He will know what is best for the club and for him.”

Nacho Monreal told Spanish radio: “An Arsenal without Wenger? It’s complicated, isn’t it? It’s complicated to imagine it, because he’s been the manager for more than 20 years, and the truth is I can’t imagine it, but only time will tell.

Arsenal summer transfer targets Show all 6 1 /6 Arsenal summer transfer targets Arsenal summer transfer targets Thomas Lemar (Monaco) Age: 21

Position: Left-wing

Likelihood: 5/10



After their eye-catching run to the semi-finals of the Champions League, Monaco are being gutted by European football’s elite. One of their many bright young things is Lemar, who would slot right into Alexis Sanchez’s left-sided role at Arsenal should the Chilean leave the Emirates this summer. The problem? Monaco are not selling, or at least not for Arsenal’s reported initial offer of £30.75m. Getty Arsenal summer transfer targets Kylian Mbappé (Monaco) Age: 18

Position: Left/right-wing

Likelihood: 3/10



Another Monaco player, Mbappé is one of the hottest properties in Europe and is perhaps a surprise inclusion on the list, with many expecting the teenager to move to Real Madrid, if anywhere, this summer. Arsène Wenger is said to have struck up something of an accord with the lightning quick winger’s family and harbours hopes of convincing Thierry Henry’s rightful heir that north London is the best place for his development. Getty Arsenal summer transfer targets Riyad Mahrez (Leicester) Age: 26

Position: Right-wing

Likelihood: 4/10



It is no secret that Wenger is a long-time admirer of Mahrez, whose stock has fallen somewhat following that remarkable title-winning campaign with Leicester City in 2015/16. While some of Europe’s top clubs were hovering around the Algerian this time last year, the coast is now relatively clear. The only worry is whether Mahrez can recreate the scintillating form he began to show two years ago. Getty Arsenal summer transfer targets Jean Michaël Seri (Nice) Age: 25

Position: Centre-midfield

Likelihood: 5/10



Seri was one of Nice’s stand-out players during their surprise challenge for the Ligue 1 title last term. If Santi Cazorla’s injury woes continue into the new season, the Cote d’Ivoire international could prove to be an ideal replacement, but his performances in the south of France have not gone unnoticed. Roma, Southampton, Tottenham and Leicester have all been keeping tabs on the midfielder. Getty Arsenal summer transfer targets Mario Lemina (Juventus) Age: 23

Position: Centre-midfield

Likelihood: 3/10



Gabon international Lemina is in search of regular playing time away from Turin, where he has struggled to establish himself in Max Allegri’s first-choice XI. “I want to play more,” he said in June. “I think it's right for me to play more, find a club capable of giving me more space. At 23 I want to show what I can do.” Could he find the minutes he needs in north London? At the moment, there seems to be little concrete about Arsenal’s reported ‘interest’. Getty Arsenal summer transfer targets Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow) Age: 21

Position: Centre-midfield

Likelihood: 2/10



Another midfielder whose name has been bandied around in the gossip columns this summer, but with few solid leads for transfer-hungry supporters to pursue. Any deal for the talented CSKA Moscow academy graduate would likely involve him being loaned back to his current club, if indeed any such deal is likely at all. Getty

“At the end of the day, he’s someone who’s been at the club for 20 years. He’s the boss. He holds the most weight in the dressing room, at board level, and he controls pretty much everything, but he’s very approachable.

“We’ll give everything until the end. If he decides to renew, then of course we’ll be behind him, we trust him.”

Shkodran Mustafi said: “Sometimes you don’t know how good a coach is if you’re not training him with day in, day out. Him being the boss of Arsenal was important in the fact that I knew he’s been here a long time and there’s a structure.

“Playing for Valencia and Sampdoria every 12 months I had a new coach and that’s difficult because every time, new coach, different idea, different kind of football.

“Coming here with a coach who's been here 20 years I knew I could come here, fit in and be part of it which makes everything much easier to play. I hope he’s not leaving but he has to make that decision and we will see.”

Petr Cech said: “After more than 20 years, he has the right to decide that. As players, we need to focus on ourselves, on our performances. If we win five matches, the situation will change.

“It’s not just the coach who is responsible, but the players as well. We still have time to recover, but it’s running out quick. We need to win straight away, the team has the experience to turn this situation around.”

There is one man, however, who has been less than vocal in his support for Wenger: Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean forward has been the most visibly frustrated of all the Arsenal players this season, at times casting a gloomy shadow over the entire club.

In an interview with Copa90 in March, he revered Wenger as a "football professor" but hinted at his disappointment at the recent lack of silverware.

"What brought me here to Arsenal was that it's a big club," he said. "It's time we made history at this club."