Former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg believes Arsene Wenger deserves the chance to step down from the manager's job whenever he feels the time is right.

Wenger was appointed at Arsenal in 1996, arriving in the Premier League as a largely unknown quantity following previous spells in charge of Monaco and Nagoya Grampus Eight.

The Frenchman has had a significant impact in British football over the intervening 19 years, revolutionising Arsenal's approach to diet and fitness, as well as the club's style of play.

And Ljungberg, who spent nine years under Wenger - winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups, as well as reaching the Champions League final in 2006 - says his former manager can be proud of his legacy.

"It's all up to him, how long he wants to stay at the club," the Grassroot Soccer ambassador and former Sweden international told Omnisport.

"He's been there a long time but he's built how they play today, the style and the culture.

"It's what everyone talks about around the world, that's what people remember from Arsenal at the moment.

"So I think what he's done, whenever he wants to retire he can retire.

"He has a contract, he never breaks it, so at least that we know."

Ljungberg was speaking at a Grassroot Soccer charity event to mark World AIDS Day, which was also attended by former Arsenal colleague Robert Pires.

The funds raised by the players will be spent on a range of unique sports-based partnerships in 50 countries around the world, including a community project in South Africa and Voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing tournaments in Zimbabwe.