A golden era beckons for Wenger’s young Gunners

Arsenal are on the cusp of a golden era according to their chief executive Ivan Gazidis. He says that the current squad has what it takes to end the club's five-year silverware drought and believes that manager Arsene Wenger is far from finished at the Emirates.

Arsenal are battling for silverware on three fronts and are the Premier League's form team, which has not always been the case in recent seasons. And Gazidis said he believed this season could mark the start of a new age.

A crop of young stars like Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are coming through the ranks and the team has managed to mount a title challenge while staying true to Wenger's footballing philosophy.

"There is always pressure to win trophies at a club like this and we think we can win trophies this year. We're going to be right in the mix. You never know what fortune holds for you, but we believe we have a squad that will be very much in the mix for any competition we enter over the next five years," he said.

"There is no question in my mind that this club is going to be very successful in delivering trophies to its fans consistently in that time period."

There is more good news off the field according to Gazidis, who has been with the club for a year. He believes that Wenger will continue his reign at the Emirates after his contract ends next season.

"It's difficult for me to imagine anything other than Arsene leading the team forward with this young group of players. There's a huge amount of ambition left in Arsene and a huge amount of vision and legacy that has yet to be achieved," he said. "I'm hesitant to talk about a time after Arsene because he's in great health and I hope he will keep going longer than Sir Alex Ferguson."

He also believes that when Wenger does eventually relinquish his spot in the dugout he will not be forgotten. "I'm conscious, and Arsene is conscious, that what he has created here needs to continue after him, so it's imperative that we take those values, that vision, that legacy, and institutionalise it and take it forward. Arsene will be a big part of that when the time comes."

While Chelsea and Manchester City's high profile owners continue to generate column inches and the clubs lose money, and Liverpool and Manchester United struggle with their debt burdens, Arsenal seem relatively settled. They recorded a profit of £35.2 million last year and even the prospect of a takeover bid from one of the major shareholders, Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, does not seem likely to derail them. ·