On This Day - April 20, 2018: Arsene Wenger announces Arsenal exit after 22 years

Aged 68 at the time of his departure, Wenger arrived in north London - with the club then located at Highbury - in August 1996 and won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups - including doubles in 1998 and 2002.

The Frenchman had initially signed a two-year deal the previous summer (2017) after winning the FA Cup, but fans still continued to be divided on him after they finished fifth in the Premier League - the first time Wenger had failed to secure a top four finish in his entire tenure at Arsenal.

And in his final campaign, Arsenal finished in sixth.

Among the early list of candidates to replace Wenger were German managers Thomas Tuchel and Joachim Loew along with former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira, but it was former PSG and Sevilla boss Unai Emery who was given the nod.

The Spaniard would last just 18 months before being shown the door and replaced by Wenger's former captain Mikel Arteta.

Here is a look at how Wenger's exit was announced, along with his achievements at the club and best quotes over the years...

Wenger says time is right to leave

“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," said Wenger.

“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.

“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.”

Stan Kroenke on Wenger departure

Arsenal majority owner Stan Kroenke thanked Wenger for his service and his work in transforming the identity of the club.

"This is one of the most difficult days we have ever had in all our years in sport," said Kroenke.

"One of the main reasons we got involved with Arsenal was because of what Arsene has brought to the club on and off the pitch.

"Arsene has unparalleled class and we will always be grateful to him. Everyone who loves Arsenal and everyone who loves football owes him a debt of gratitude.

"He has also transformed the identity of our club and of English football with his vision for how the game can be played.

"We must now focus on making a strong finish to the season and ask our millions of fans around the world to join us in paying appropriate tribute to one of the greats of Arsenal's history and one of the greats of the game."

Wenger's honours at Arsenal

• Premier League:

Winners (3) - 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04

• FA Cup:

Winners (7) - 1997/98, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016/17

• Community Shield:

Winners (6) - 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2014/15, 2015/16

• Premier League Manager of the Season (3) - 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04
• League Managers' Association Manager of the Year (2) - 2001/02, 2003/04
• BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year (2) - 2002, 2004
• Premier League Manager of the Month (15)

Wenger's best quotes

• "I changed a few habits (of the players), which isn't easy in a team where the average age is 30 years. At the first match the players were chanting 'we want our Mars bars'. Then, at half-time I asked my physio Gary Lewin: 'Nobody is talking, what's wrong with them?' and he replied: 'They are hungry'. I hadn't given them their chocolate before the game. It was funny." - Wenger on implementing a new regime after his arrival at Highbury.
• "Maybe one day people will realise that it's not so easy to stay at the top, as well as facing financial compulsories that you face at that level." - Wenger on success being relative.
• "Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home." - Wenger in response to Sir Alex Ferguson's criticism over the way Arsenal went about winning the double in 2002.
• "He's out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful. When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent." - Wenger's response to being called a voyeur by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in 2005.
• "We do not buy superstars. We make them." - Wenger on his player development and recruitment policy.
• "I am not scared to spend money. If you go out with me one night, you will understand that." - Wenger on being coy in the transfer market.
• "I tried to watch the Tottenham match on television in my hotel yesterday, but I fell asleep." - Wenger on keeping tabs on their north London rivals.
• "Sometimes I see it (a foul by an Arsenal player), but I say that I didn't see it to protect the players and because I could not find any rational explanation for what they did." - Wenger on his famed tendency to 'miss' certain incidents.

How the world of football reacted...

Tony Adams on Instagram

Cesc Fabregas on Instagram

Nigel Winterburn, via Sky Sports

"It doesn't surprise me if I'm quite honest. I've done a lot of work around the club in the last few years, and there is a different feel around the stadium this year.

"The last four or five league games, the crowds are well down, I think it has run its natural course. Wenger has been absolutely amazing for Arsenal Football Club. He has kept the club relatively successful, but the one thing the fans wanted him to do was to get this Premier League title challenge and that hasn't happened.

"It feels like the right time, and he will be remembered fondly at this club. I think when people look back, they will really appreciate what he has done.

"I think it's right, everyone has a clear picture from now until the end of the season, they need to win the Europa League to get into the Champions League.

"If it is Patrick Vieira, I would be delighted with that. He's learning in America, he is somebody who has been a winner with Arsenal, which is so, so important."

Paul Merson, via Sky Sports

"It’s great timing, with a massive football match coming up. I think the fans get behind him now until the end of the season.

"It’s good, everybody can pay their respects to him now, for how great he was as a manager. It’s perfect timing.

"You didn’t want it to fizzle out, not have a good performance against West Ham. You didn’t want him to drift away.

"It gives the fans the chance to pack the Emirates between now and the end of the season.

"He is a legend, legend is used loosely in football, but at Arsenal he is a legend, there’s no doubt about that."

Charlie Nicholas, via Sky Sports

"Arsene is the greatest achiever at Arsenal and I include the players in there. He is an absolute genius.

"Obviously over the last few years the team as a whole has generally gone backwards. But for the amount of consistency and style this man has brought, he has been absolutely unbelievable.

"It is a sad day but I am happy because I think Arsene was taking on too much strain, it was getting to him.

"But that man there, he is the main achiever of it all and because of that, when you see the stands not quite full, I think the pain was starting to seep through to him.

"I think he was starting to realise he had a lot of quality players but he couldn't knit them together properly with the defensive frailties.

"With the money he started to spend, that was starting to really frustrate and agitate him [team not knitting together] but he has been an absolute genius.

"He has been an absolute treat for the football club, I don't know where we go to replace him, that is the hardest part.

"But it has been an absolute pleasure. All Arsenal fans get behind the man, show the respect and appreciation he deserves for what he has done for this football club. He has been absolutely outstanding."

In pictures: Arsene Wenger's 22-year Arsenal reign

Click the link above to see our selection of pictures in full..

Top 10: FA Cup semi-finals

This time of year is usually FA Cup semi-final time, so Paul Higham and Joe Townsend have delved into the archives to pick out the best of the bunch.

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