Arsene Wenger announced that he will be leaving his position as Arsenal's manager at the end of the season.

The Frenchman joined the club in 1996, where he won three Premier League titles and hoisted seven FA Cup's in his 22 year tenure. 

He delivered an emotional statement confirming his decision earlier on Friday.

“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," he said.

“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 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. My love and support for ever.”

PATRICK VIEIRA EMERGES AS A CONTENDER

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has emerged as a contender to replace the 68-year-old, following on from comments Wenger made just yesterday. 

"I've followed his managerial career," Wenger said yesterday. "I think he does very well but overall, this Premier League is special.

"You have to come in and there are plenty of former players who played here who have potential, the intelligence and knowledge to do it."

DAVID SEAMAN DROPS THE TRUTH

Many Arsenal fans will no doubt love to see Vieira and Thierry Henry succeed Wenger, and David Seaman acknowledged that fact in an interview earlier today.

But Seaman has doubts as to whether they should do so due to their inexperience in management.

"I think a lot of the fans would like to see Thierry [Henry] and Patrick [Vieira] to do it together," he said on Sky Sports. "That would be fairytale stuff.

"But for me, it's a job that needs experience. For Patrick and Thierry it might be a little bit too big for them at this moment. Experience is key."

And Seaman reiterated that point in an interview with ESPN, stating that a manager like Carlo Ancelotti should be the man to replace Wenger.

"Ideally for me, a very experienced manager with a lot of stature," he said. "Someone like Ancelotti. He's been at big clubs before, he knows what he wants from his team and he'll know what sort of players he wants as well.

"So for me, you need someone with that sort of stature to go into Arsenal and say: 'Right, I want X, Y, and Z, otherwise I'm not coming.'"

You've got to say, Seaman is spot on.

It would be a great story if Vieira and Henry would team up to manage Arsenal. But they have so little experience in management.

Vieira has been a manager for just two years with New York City. It would be too much of a step for him to go straight to Arsenal from there.

The same goes for Henry, who has only been an assistant at Belgium for only two years.

It would be great to see the two lead the club in the future, but as Seaman says, at present they are just not ready.