Arsenal are preparing for Arsene Wenger leaving in the summer, and reportedly see former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti as a potential replacement.

Wenger extended his contract with the club until 2019 in the summer, but there’s a chance he could leave in the summer.

According to the Evening Standard, senior figures at Arsenal believe Wenger could call time on his Arsenal tenure at the end of the season and have already identified his successor.

They report that Carlo Ancelotti could be the one to take over, given his vast experience and accomplishments in the game.

The Italian manager was fired at Bayern Munich this season after a run of poor performances. He’s won the Champions League with AC Milan and Real Madrid, along with a Premier League title with Chelsea.

The Standard also mention that Mikel Arteta, who has also been named as a potential successor, is well liked by the club, but lacks experience.

Arsenal have made a number of new backroom appointments this season. Chief among them are Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat and and Head of Football Relations Raul Sanhelli.

The belief is that the club are preparing for Wenger’s departure by firming up the structure behind the scenes. The Arsenal manager has always honoured his contracts at the club, so we’ll sell how this plays out.