Arsene Wenger has made it even more clear that his way of working is not compatible with a structure that involves a Director of Football, saying he can’t imagine a situation where somebody else buys the players without his approval.

The Arsenal manager had earlier bristled at suggestions such an appointment might be made, and has gone further to explain why he is not prepared to work in that environment.

“Who do you blame when it does not work here?,” he asked. “I am blamed. I am blamed for decisions I have not made.

“It is tough enough to be blamed for decisions you have made. It is difficult to imagine that somebody signs a player that the manager does not know. It never happened to me.

“For me, it is like if you write an article in the newspaper and somebody else signs for you.”

His comments earlier in the day highlighted how little he thought of the idea of a Director of Football, and he was again cutting and dismissive of the concept.

“Maybe the time will come where the football manager will not be a football specialist any more and that we have enough computers around him to analyse the game,” he said.

“Straightaway he pushes on the button after the game, and out comes the team for the next game.

“The supporters will have a word to say to make a change at half-time on the internet. They will send in. It might come. But I will not be there.”

As for his own way of working, he continued, “Some coaches are only interested in managing the team and they are happy with it. I am not like that, and I cannot change myself now.

“I can change by trying to get better but the personality? I have 40 years of experience at the top, top level. I think I have a good knowledge of the game. You want to create a problem that I can’t see.

“I am who I am. That is it.”

There are reports that this puts him at loggerheads with Ivan Gazidis, and that this might force the issue of his future and the contract to a head.

I had some thoughts about that earlier which can you read here. Whatever is going on though, there’s no doubt it’s a huge mess and a very unhealthy situation for all concerned.

If this helps provide some clarity, all the better, but I suspect there’ll be nothing said until after the FA Cup final.