Replacing Wenger Arsenal's biggest task

Arsenal will face their biggest challenge in finding Arsene Wenger's replacement as manager of the Premier League club, their chief executive Ivan Gazidis admits.

Wenger celebrated his 18th anniversary in charge of the Gunners earlier this month.

The Frenchman, who turns 65 on October 22, signed a three-year contract in May and is the longest-serving manager in English league football.

"So much of the attention on a football club is around an individual and that's very understandable at Arsenal because we have a giant who's managing us," Gazidis told Arsenal.com.

"Arsene has been a fantastic driver and has put the club in a great, great position.

"The biggest challenge we're going to face as a club is that, when the transition from Arsene to the next manager of our football club happens - and I don't know when that's going to be - that we come through that strongly."

Arsenal ended a nine-year trophy drought last season by winning the FA Cup.

It was Wenger's fifth FA Cup triumph to go with three Premier League titles and a run of 17 consecutive years in the Champions League.

Arsenal's move to the Emirates Stadium from Highbury in 2006 has produced extra revenue that helped the club make major signings such as Mesut Oezil last year and Alexis Sanchez this season.

Gazidis says the goal now is to join the world's elite.

"Where we are currently is off the shoulder of the world's top teams," he said.

"I think the best teams in the world are in Europe and you think about the great names in world football like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich - I don't think we're at that level yet but that's where we're aiming to get to.

"It's one thing to say that and it's another thing to be able to deliver it."