Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to decide his own future at the end of the season

Arsene Wenger will not face the prospect of being sacked by Arsenal with the club to allow him to decide his own future at the end of the 2016-17 season.

The Gunners are now on the brink of being eliminated from the Champions League at the first knockout stage for the seventh consecutive year following their 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday (15 February).

While Wenger's position is coming under ever-increasing pressure, BBC Sport report there is no possibility of the Arsenal manager leaving before the end of the current season.

Wenger has been offered a new contract with his current deal set to expire this summer. Whether the Frenchman decides to stay on as manager or leave the club after 21 years will be a mutual decision between him and the club.

With their Champions League exit seemingly an inevitably, Arsenal's only realistic hope of silverware this season is the FA Cup – the only trophy the club have won since 2004. Back-to-back defeats to Watford and Chelsea in the Premier League have effectively killed off their faint hopes of a title challenge, with Antonio Conte's side 10 points clear of them.

The club do remain in the Premier League top four however and remain in contention to win their third FA Cup in four years, taking on non-league Sutton United in their fifth round match on Monday (20 February).

While the club still have something to fight for this season, the nature of their recent setbacks has seen a number of Wenger's former players suggesting his departure this summer is now an inevitability.

Former defender Martin Keown told BT Sport he believes his old boss will take the decision to leave at the end of the season, describing last night's defeat as the manager's "lowest ever moment."

Lee Dixon meanwhile was struck by Wenger's dejection in his post-match interview. "I think he realises, he seems so low. This team is getting no response from him," Dixon said on ITV Football.