“I don’t change my commitment,” Wenger said after Saturday’s success. “I worked until the last day of my contract. That is today, basically. I think I have shown you that I have exactly the same commitment. So, for me, the contract does not have a special meaning. But, because of the ­debate, I should have sorted that out earlier.”

The Arsenal board have been pushing for significant changes in staff and the way the club is organised. Chief executive Ivan Gazidis has been looking at candidates for a new sporting director/operations role to coordinate and streamline the work around Wenger on issues ranging from scouting and medicine to youth development and analytics. It remains to be seen how much ground Wenger has ceded on this, although owner Stan Kroenke has been unwavering in his support for his manager and that is expected to be a crucial factor.Wenger’s contract was due to expire on June 30 but the Frenchman had also hinted at the beginning of March he would remain at the Emirates.“I am a specialist in masochism,” he said. “I believe as well that this job allowed me to get to the next level as a human being; to develop my strengths in what makes a human being great. To get the best out of people. That is absolutely fantastic.”