After the arrival of Sven Mislintat came the growing possibility that Arsene Wenger’s departure may not be far away.

It’s clear that the Frenchman is sadly losing his grip on life at the very top of English football, or that at least what once was a love supreme is now growing stale.

That feeling appeared to be justified by what happened in January: not only did Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrive, but Mesut Ozil signed a new contract. Such things didn’t seem like they would have happened without assurances about the potential arrival of a new manager, and the overhaul of the club’s management structure.

We’ll see if any of that is forthcoming, but for the moment fans remain in a state of limbo: it is wrong to disrespect such a grand old figure as Wenger. But as a fan of Arsenal, watching their stagnation and eventual decline must be heartbreaking – and the manager does indeed appear to be one of the problems.

He’s not the only problem, though.

Clearly tolerating the current situation means the board are complicit in whatever is ultimately going wrong at the club. Stan Kroenke appears happy to preside over a business interest which – with Premier League TV money, a big stadium and European football – makes a fairly large profit for him, no matter what their results are.

There may also be a mentality problem at exec level, too.

Talk that Thomas Tuchel may be taking over from Wenger makes you start to wonder if Arsenal are attempting to become the English Dortmund. You have to take these reports with a pinch of salt, of course. Especially since the Frenchman’s job is always speculated upon in the media, and a cynic might point out season tickets are up for renewal. But the Dortmund link doesn’t seem unfounded given recent arrivals.

If Arsenal are indeed thinking that way, why are they modelling themselves on a club who see themselves as the smaller underdogs? Fair enough if they think Dortmund’s former players and former manager can make a step up to a higher level. But if that’s not what’s happening here, it’s a problem.

About five years ago, we were becoming used to hearing the words ‘war chest’ bandied about in the summer transfer windows when Arsenal were involved. By now, though, the phrase is a bit more scarce. But the reason isn’t that the Gunners are suddenly poor, or that they’ve lost money. The reason is that money is no longer what it used to be.

Headlines like this from 2013, for example – proclaiming a £70m ‘war chest’ – show how outdated it is. £70m would by only one top player these days. That certainly doesn’t count as a chest.

The problem, as so many predicted, is that the Gunners didn’t spend when £70m was indeed a lot of money at the upper end of the footballing aristocracy.

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Arsenal saved their cash. For want of a better analogy, they put it under the mattress. They didn’t invest it in players. But whilst the cash didn’t increase in value, perhaps players would have. Borussia Dortmund bought Ousmane Dembele from Rennes for around €15m.

They sold him to Barcelona a year later for around ten times that price. There are countless other examples of inflated transfer fees, and had the Gunners used the money they had to buy back in 2013, they might have had assets worth ten times what they paid for by now. Take Manchester City as an example: they spent £55m on Kevin de Bruyne. A lot of money, sure, but this season has proven that he’s worth much much more than that now.

Most importantly, he’s helped them win a title.

Arsenal are paying the price now for not spending when they had the chance. Now they have a squad which isn’t as good as the others and will take some serious spend in order to fix. You get the feeling, though, that there’s a growing underdog mentality about one of the richest clubs in the country.

Newcastle United can move a step closer to retaining their Premier League status when they host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on Saturday, and they will be looking for their third successive top flight win on their own patch.

After a decent start to the campaign the Magpies suffered a real lull mid-season that plummeted them back down into trouble at the wrong end of the table, but they have hit form in the last couple of months to which has left them four points clear of the relegation zone.

Consecutive victories on Tyneside against Manchester United and Southampton without conceding have left them in a good – but still precarious – position, but a triumph against the Terriers would certainly make them more comfortable, and leave them with seven matches to get the five points that would see them reach the magic 40-point mark, which would usually be enough to guarantee their safety.

Manager Rafa Benitez will already be planning for next season whichever league the Toon find themselves in, and he needs to be considering making big changes if they do survive.

The Spaniard will probably consider walking away unless he is backed by Mike Ashley or any prospective new owner, and he will want significant funds to improve his squad to try and help them start to challenge for a top-half finish next season.

Firstly though, he would need to move the deadwood out of St James’ Park, and there is plenty of it.

Full-backs Jesus Gamez and Massadio Haidara’s contracts both expire at the end of the season and with two Premier League appearances between them this term, they will almost certainly both be on their way in the summer.

Meanwhile, Mats Selz, Jack Colback, Henri Saivet, Achraf Lazaar and Aleksandar Mitrovic are all currently on loan with the latter the only one who potentially stands a chance of staying on Tyneside when he returns at the end of the season given that he has scored seven goals in nine games for Fulham since joining them during the January transfer window – much to the annoyance of the Magpies fans.

However, with Benitez clearly not trusting him because of his temperament, the Spaniard should look to move him on and replace him with another centre-forward.

While those fringe players will leave, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss will also be taking a look at the first-team squad he has right now and believe that some need to be moved on and replaced with better quality.

Between the sticks, if Martin Dubravka signs a permanent deal at the end of his loan and Freddie Woodman is involved next season after his loan spell with Aberdeen, the futures of Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot will surely be in doubt, with at least one of them – and maybe both – going.

In defence, Chancel Mbemba could go with Benitez obviously not fancying him considering he has played just 673 minutes of Premier League football this term, while one of Isaac Hayden or Mikel Merino could also leave if the Spanish manager signs a new midfielder this summer, with Jonjo Shelvey and Mo Diame currently established as the first-choice pairing in the middle of the park.

Up top, Dwight Gayle looks likely to stay but it remains unclear whether the Magpies will try and sign Islam Slimani on a permanent basis given he has yet to play for them following his loan move from Leicester City in January.

Benitez will be looking to sign a new striker whatever happens this summer – it may or may not be Slimani – and he should consider moving Joselu on considering the striker has been something of a flop having scored just four goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, and having missed some real sitters on more than one occasion.

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The 6ft 4in centre-forward can’t be relied on to play up top on his own because he isn’t prolific, and the club may feel that they can get an upgrade on him this summer.

Not counting Gamez and Haidara who will go anyway, Newcastle should be looking to ship out 10 first-team players – Sels, Colback, Saviet, Lazaar, Mitrovic, Darlow, Elliot, Mbemba, Hayden/Merino and Joselu – this summer if they stay up, and doing that would allow Benitez to bring in new blood to help the team push on next season.

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Rangers suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Celtic on Sunday, losing 4-0 in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

It’s the third time that Brendan Rodgers’ side have beaten the Light Blues by a four-goal margin since he arrived in Glasgow and the Hoops have now stretched their unbeaten streak in the derby to ten matches.

With hopes of silverware now gone for another season, there’s set to be another intense period of soul searching at Ibrox as they try to figure out a way forward into the summer.

Fans were obviously left bitterly disappointed and annoyed with the performances from the Rangers players, not least Andy Halliday’s, who was hauled off by Graeme Murty towards the end of the first half after an inept return to the starting eleven.

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While many supporters weren’t happy with the manner of the substitution, there was little sympathy given his display and they took to Twitter during and after the match to share their unhappiness with his Hampden efforts…

Tottenham’s under-18 side demolished Arsenal’s youngsters 9-0 on Tuesday, and fans are calling for Reo Griffiths to make the leap to the first team.

With all the disappointment Spurs fans have suffered in the last couple of weeks, it is perhaps no surprise that they want some changes, and fans are hoping 17 year-old striker Reo Griffiths can get some first team action.

Top four is almost secure, and with no trophies left to fight for Mauricio Pochettino might favour youth in the final matches of the season.

With all the talks surrounding Harry Kane’s fitness, Reo Griffiths is certainly in with a shout of getting some game time.

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Fans were struggling to contain their excitement on Tuesday as the U-18 side destroyed Arsenal’s albeit weakened U-18 side, and most of the excitement was around Griffiths.

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The 17 year-old scored four (yes, FOUR) and assisted three in the match, and now has 27 goals in the U-18 division. No other player has more than 15.

Supporters have been going crazy about the young star’s performance and his overall form, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

Patrick Vieira is a serious candidate to replace Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, according to the Daily Mail.

What’s the word?

Wenger’s position at the Emirates has been up for debate for some time, with many supporters keen for the Frenchman to call an end to his two-decade tenure.

At the moment, the 68-year-old will not come to the end of his contract until the 2018-19 season concludes, but after another failed Premier League campaign, some fans want him out now.

The Gunners are expected to finish outside of the Champions League spots for a second consecutive season as they reside 13 points adrift of fourth place.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal will not sack Wenger, but they are looking for replacements to potentially succeed the Frenchman, and club legend Patrick Vieira is one of them.

The 41-year-old is currently in charge of MLS club New York City.

Would Vieira be a good option?

There is no doubt that the former midfielder is much-loved among the Arsenal fanbase for his nine years of service, which included three Premier League title triumphs and four FA Cup final wins.

Even though Vieira is very much part of the Wenger era, he often disagreed with his compatriot and could bring a no-nonsense approach to coaching.

However, the Frenchman’s coaching CV is limited to Manchester City’s reserves and New York City, which begs the question of whether he is ready for such a big step.

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Vieira will have the advantage of knowing the club inside out, but huge pressure will be placed on his shoulders; not only because fans will be expecting a revival following Wenger’s exit, but also because he is a legend at the North London outfit.

For both parties, it may be best at this stage to go down another route.

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Roma’s run deep into the Champions League’s later stages has seen their energetic midfielder Radja Nainggolan linked by the Daily Mail with a move to Arsenal, who are of course preparing for the post-Arsene Wenger era at the Emirates Stadium.

Securing the signature of the Belgian – who is valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt – would represent something of a change in approach; Wenger has always tended to sign the technical over the tenacious.

Aged 29, it would likely be the last big move in the career of Nainggolan, who is something of a one of a kind on and off the field, and there would also be significant consequences for some of the players already in North London, who face a battle to prove themselves in the fresh eyes of the new man in the hotseat.

It may also impact on the style of play on show at the Emirates, so Football FanCast have decided to take a closer look at the ripple effect that could occur if the Gunners do get Nainggolan to sign on the dotted line…

Aaron Ramsey gets more creative freedom

Arsene Wenger experimented with a three-man backline in order to protect his backline but signing Nainggolan might allow the new man in charge to go for a more robust 4-3-3.

Granit Xhaka could line up just behind the Belgian and Welshman Aaron Ramsey, who both have the energy to push forward. Mesut Ozil may have to move wider but with a solid trio in the centre, he and Henrikh Mkhitaryan would be able to drift inside at will.

Ramsey is a key component of this Gunners team and he may well end up as captain at the start of next term after Per Mertesacker’s departure but he needs to be able to make those runs from midfield without fear that he is exposing the backline. Nainggolan’s arrival would allow him to do that.

Arsenal’s midfield finally protects the defence

Nainggolan’s arrival won’t improve the individual quality of the Arsenal defenders but Manchester United are just one example of how extensive protection can bring about a strong defensive record in the absence of individually strong centre-halves.

Alongside Xhaka, Nainggolan would be another player who is not concerned about putting his foot in and the pair working in tandem might just provide an effective shield for the shaky Gunners defence.

That, in turn, could improve the confidence of the backline and have a transformative effect on their solidity. Bringing in such a combative player may finally create a shield that masks some of Arsenal’s weaknesses.

Jack Wilshere joins Everton

Wilshere’s contract comes to an end at the season’s conclusion and, as yet, there has been no movement over an extended deal.

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With Wenger – one of Wilshere’s biggest advocates, set to leave the club and no guarantee that the new man will be impressed with the injury-prone midfielder, who does not offer the same kind of goalscoring return as Ramsey does, the arrival of Nainggolan might just push the England international out of the club.

Everton are in prime position to swoop, according to reports in the Times, if Wilshere is the man who is deemed surplus to requirements this summer.

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According to reports in The Guardian, Southampton are considering making a summer move for £20m-rated Swansea City centre-back Alfie Mawson as they look to strengthen their defensive options, and Saints fans have been quick to react to the rumour.

The Guardian says that the south coast outfit, along with Premier League rivals West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, are interested in the 24-year-old, who saw his club suffer relegation to the Championship following successive home defeats against Mark Hughes’ men and already-relegated Stoke City.

Signing Mawson for £20m would break the club-record transfer fee that they paid to bring Guido Carrillo to St Mary’s from Monaco during the January transfer window, and he could prove to be a replacement for Maya Yoshida in the long-term with the Japan international recently linked with a summer exit.

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Southampton supporters, who were quick to tell Mario Lemina what he needs to do next season following his message to them on Twitter, took to social media to give their thoughts on the link, and while one said “it’s an interesting replacement for Yoshida”, another described him as the “perfect signing”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Luis Suarez was a huge fan favourite at Liverpool during his two-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield.

The Uruguayan scored 82 goals in all competitions for the Merseyside outfit, but his time at the club did not pass without controversy.

Suarez was banned twice – once for racist abuse and another for biting – and he eventually left the club following the 2014 World Cup.

Since moving to Barcelona, the 31-year-old has continued his scoring streak, but a recent report in Don Bacon claimed that the attacker could be on his way back to Liverpool.

The Spanish publication stated that Barca would be willing to sell in order to free up funds for Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann, and that Liverpool would be Suarez’s likely destination.

These transfer rumours should be met with a pinch of salt, but the hitman would certainly add to Liverpool’s attack given that he netted 31 goals and created 15 assists in all competitions this season.

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We asked you if the Reds should move for their former striker, despite already having Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane performing at their best level.

The outcome suggests that Suarez is still a favourite among the fanbase.

According to The Sun, experienced defender Leighton Baines is ready to leave Everton this summer for the MLS.

Indeed, it is being reported that LA Galaxy and the newly-formed Los Angeles FC have been made aware that the left-back could be available in this summer’s transfer window.

Baines has spent the last 11 seasons at Goodison Park – making over 400 appearances – but he will be 34 in December, and his current contract with the Toffees will expire next summer.

A calf problem interrupted Baines’ 2017-18 campaign, but he still made 29 appearances for Everton last term – scoring three times and registering four assists.

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Everton are currently seeking a new manager, however, and it remains to be seen whether 30-time England international Baines fits into the plans of the incoming head coach.

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There is absolutely no question that the former Wigan Athletic full-back has been a wonderful servant for Everton, but it seems that the bulk of the club’s supporters feel that now is the right time for him to move on.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Liverpool have not yet won a trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp, but they have come very close.

Since the German coach took over at Anfield in October 2015, the Merseyside outfit have reached three finals, but lost every one of them.

The most recent was the Champions League showpiece against Real Madrid in Kiev.

Hopes were high after the team blasted away Manchester City and Roma in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.

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However, it turned out to be a difficult night for the team as Mohamed Salah was injured half an hour into the contest.

After tussling with Sergio Ramos, the attacker dislocated his shoulder and was forced off the pitch in tears.

Loris Karius was also emotional after the final whistle due to his mistakes that led to goals from Karim Benzeman and Gareth Bale.

In the end, Liverpool lost 3-1, but their performances this season have given fans plenty of optimism.

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Manchester City ran away with the Premier League title, but the Reds managed to beat Pep Guardiola’s side three times over the course of the season – once in the league and twice in the Europe.

We asked you whether the Merseyside outfit could push for the title next season, and even though the club finished 25 points adrift of City in the table, plenty of Liverpool fans think that the club will take that next step.