It's official: Arsene Wenger will leave his post of Arsenal manager at the end of the season. 

After no less than 22 years in charge of the club, Wenger has decided it's time for a change and a new man will stand in the Emirates Stadium dug-out next season. It's well and truly the end of an era.

In an emotional goodbye on Arsenal's official website on Friday morning, Wenger penned: “After careful consideration and following discussions with the club, I feel it is the right time for me to step down at the end of the season.

“I am grateful for having had the privilege to serve the club for so many memorable years. I managed the club with full commitment and integrity.

“I want to thank the staff, the players, the Directors and the fans who make this club so special.

Wenger announces his departure

"I urge our fans to stand behind the team to finish on a high. To all the Arsenal lovers take care of the values of the club."

Many Arsenal fans will feel that the right time has come for the Frenchman to down tools after a torrid past season and a half.

While Wenger has won three FA Cups titles in four years, the Gunners have lost their grip on the Premier League top four and the 2017-18 campaign has been Arsenal's most tumultuous yet.

Gary Neville's classy reaction on Twitter

However, and fittingly so, tributes have rumbled in for what Wenger has achieved across his entire two decades in charge and those early days of dizzying success shouldn't be forgotten.

One man to step up to the plate was Gary Neville and the Sky Sports pundit reacted to the astonishing news with pure class.

Neville wrote: "Arsene Wenger built the best teams that I played against in English Football .The 98 team was Amazing.

"The biggest compliment is that he played football that made us change the way we played against them. He now deserves the most incredible send off from all in the coming weeks."

We couldn't have put it better ourselves, Gary.

For all the criticism Wenger has received in recent seasons, he deserves all the respect and credit he gets before the end of the season.

His masterminding of the Invincibles and the team of 1998 to which Neville refers shouldn't be forgotten.

Love him or hate him, he's a legend of English football.