Arsenal ready to interview 10 candidates for manager's job as serious contender emerges

Arsenal chiefs Josh and Stan Kroenke are eyeing their next manager (Courtesy)

Arsenal could interview as many as ten candidates as they go through an exhaustive process before appointing a new manager.

Former captain Patrick Vieira is emerging as a serious contender despite a difficult season at Nice but the club are likely to sound him out as they look to make an appointment.

They have begun the interview process with former Valencia boss Marcelino among the first to be spoken to but another Spaniard who also managed Sevilla may not go down well with the fans because of similarities to Unai Emery.

Manchester City coach Mikel Arteta is also high on their hit-list while Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti is now available after being sacked by Napoli.

They might have to wait until the summer before being able to get former Spurs boss Maurico Pochettino but ex-Juventus boss Max Allegri is unlikely to be a serious candidate as Arsenal want someone who speaks good English as one of the primary stipulations.

It is believed they have sounded out Bordeaux’s former Swansea boss Paulo Sousa and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, formerly at Everton, is on their long list of people to talk to.

Arsenal have been hoping that Freddie Ljungberg would be able to keep the seat warm until the end of the campaign or for the next few weeks whilst the search goes on.

Head of football Raul Sanllehi, technical director Edu, managing director Vinai Venkatesham and contracts negotiator Huss Fahmy will head up the process.

They will then take their recommended candidate to Arsenal director Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan and they will give it the green light.

The first steps will be to whittle down the names to a shortlist and it will mean speaking to a lot of candidates before naming their man.

Arteta was championed last time in 2018 by former chief executive Ivan Gazidis but that was blocked by older members of the board who are still there and may feel it is still too much of a gamble but they are confident he would come.