Arsène Wenger has paved the way to remain Arsenal manager for another two seasons after indicating that he is now prepared to accept changes in the club’s footballing structure.

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph in March, Arsenal have been assessing candidates for a new off-field role and, while Wenger reacted dismissively to the idea of a ‘director of football’ title, he has been told that the position will not cut across his core first-team work. Final details must still be mutually decided at a board meeting after next Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea, but there is growing confidence that agreement can be reached on a head of operations/sporting director role.

Not only is the club’s owner, Stan Kroenke, adamant that he will not sell his stake to Alisher Usmanov, the second largest shareholder, but his support for Wenger, albeit in a modified structure, still appears utterly solid.

Wenger was asked on Friday whether he would work with a ‘director of football’ and stressed that his problem would be with people choosing players for him. “Director of football – when I say that – is a guy who makes the decisions that normally are down to the manager,” he said. “That means selection of players, buying and all matters that concern the functioning of the team on a daily basis.