Arsenal FC manager: How the Gunners could line up under Arsene Wenger’s potential successor
Arsene Wenger is under an increasing amount of pressure to step down from his role as manager of Arsenal Football Club.
Following a humiliating 5-1 defeat v Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League last 16, fans and former players have voiced the need for change in north London, after over 20 years.
The 67-year-old Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season and, after Wednesday's defeat in Germany, told reporters he will make a decision in 'March or April'.
Should he depart the club, the three front-runners with the bookies are Massimiliano Allegri [Juventus], Eddie Howe [AFC Bournemouth] and Thomas Tuchel [Borussia Dortmund], while Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is favoured by many fans.
Here, talkSPORT has taken a look at the four managers' preferred formations, with one or two possible additions, to see how the Gunners may line-up for the 2017/18 season...
Massimiliano Allegri: 3-5-2 formation
Allegri did not take long to win fans over after replacing Antonio Conte at Juventus in 2014.
Like predecessor Conte, the 49-year-old is tactically astute and rather possession-based. According to WhoScored.com, he prefers the 3-5-2 formation this season and his managerial ability has helped him to two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia triumphs and a Champions League final.
The Italian is 5/1 favourite to be next in the north London club's hotseat and his arrival could just be the start of a busy summer at the Emirates.
One of those possible signings could be Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who played under Allegri at the Juventus Stadium last season before returning to the Bernabeu. It appears the Spain international is hoping to move after failing to nail down a first team spot.
Signing the 24-year-old early in his reign would soon impress Gunners fans, as would flying wing-back Alex Sandro who is currently plying his trade under Allegri at Juve.
Meanwhile Marco Verratti would add steel and class to midfield and regularly-linked Kostas Manolas would be a solid addition to the back to play alongside centre-backs Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.
Eddie Howe: 4-2-3-1 formation (below)
The Bournemouth manager has often been touted as Wenger's long-term replacement and that was only fuelled when Arsenal loaned Jack Wilshere to the south coast club last summer.
The 39-year-old has, like Bournemouth, risen up the football ranks in the last decade. The English boss has managed the Cherries in League Two, League One, the Championship and now the Premier League, helping them become an established club known for an attractive and effective style of football.
Should he make the move to the Emirates, expect him to play his preferred - and the most popular formation in the Premier League at the moment - 4-2-3-1 and do not be surprised to see Jack Wilshere back in the equation after impressing under Howe this term.
Arsenal could do with a new quality left-back and Luke Shaw is struggling to get a look in at Manchester United, while it would be interesting to see how Ross Barkley copes as a midfielder for a club with Arsenal's expectations.
Howe would not necessarily play long-ball football with Olivier Giroud up front, but he would want a main striker through the middle with skilful, attacking forwards supporting him and one of his first jobs would be to convince the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez to renew their deals.
Thomas Tuchel: 3-4-2-1 formation (below)
The 43-year-old boss has refreshed Borussia Dortmund since replacing Jurgen Klopp in 2015.
He used Klopp's base while instilling his own footballing beliefs to make the Bundesliga play some of best football in Europe.
That is also thanks to the players at his disposal - and with the amount of young signings made in the last year it remains to be seen whether Tuchel would want to leave his project at the Westfalenstadion.
One player that could leave, though, is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon international has always spoke of his desire to play for Real Madrid, but a Premier League offer could be too good to turn down. Imagine an attacking trio of Alexis Sanchez, Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil.
Ricardo Rodriguez, currently linked with a move to Inter, is a left-back that has often been linked with an Emirates move and it is reported the Swiss international has a £19m release clause. The Wolfsburg defender would be no stranger to Tuchel, having played in the Bundesliga for a number of years.
Tuchel often sets his teams out with a fluid and ever-changing formation, but WhoScored.com say his most favoured layout this term is 3-4-2-1.
Diego Simeone: 4-4-2 formation
One of the most admired and popular managers in world football, Simeone is passionate and his style is effective, he would undoubtedly reinvigorate the whole Arsenal set up.
'El Cholo' demands maximum effort from his men and in turn that reaps its rewards. In five years at Atleti, he has helped compete with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, in the league and Champions League, despite operating on a much smaller budget.
He made an odd move by shortening his Atletico contract in September and Arsenal fans would love to see this man in the home dugout.
He currently coaches French striker Antoine Griezmann, who has been heavily linked with a transfer to Manchester United, and Simeone could use his influence to attract Euro 2016's top scorer to north London.
As reported on marvelbet369.com earlier this week, Arsenal have been linked with a move for Paris Saint-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa and team-mate Adrien Rabiot, who would add steel and endeavour to central midfield.
Another PSG star in Lucas Moura has been linked in recent months and it would be interesting to see how these players would fit into a Diego Simeone team at the Emirates.
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