Announced the inauguration of a statue of former coach Arsene Wenger to commemorate the contribution of the French military leader.
The statue is made of bronze, 3.5 m high and weighs about half a ton, carved by the famous sculptor Jim Guy. The statue depicts Wenger lifting the Premier League Cup and is located outside the Emirates Stadium. Under the sole is engraved Wenger’s name and his time as Arsenal manager.
“In the 22 years Wenger worked at Arsenal, he led our men’s team in 1,235 games and guided us through the most successful period in history. Wenger transformed the identity of the club with his vision of play style. Wenger is considered the man who created the modern Arsenal, “Arsenal wrote on the homepage.
Before Wenger , there were five Arsenal legends erected outside the Emirates Stadium. Among these are former players Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, all former students of Wenger. The other two are Herbert Chapman and Ken Friar.
Arsenal have invited Wenger to attend a ceremony to honor and introduce his statue on August 2, on the occasion of the match against Monaco in the framework of the Emirates Cup. The statue was unveiled to coincide with Arsenal’s 20th anniversary of the 2003-2004 season, the season they won the Premier League with an unbeaten record.
“This statue represents the club’s longstanding respect and gratitude for Arsene. It is a place where all Arsenal fans can visit and remember his contribution and legacy,” the vice-chairman said. Club executive chairman Tim Lewis said.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also expressed gratitude for playing for Arsenal under Wenger. “He chose me as one of his students and gave me the captain’s armband. I will never forget that,” said the incumbent Spaniard.
Wenger was Arsenal manager from October 1996 to May 2018. During that time, he helped the club win three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and 20 consecutive years in the Champions League.
Wenger’s contribution is not only in terms of professional achievements. He helped build the London Colney training ground, which opened in October 1999, and played a key role in Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates in 2006.
