Ivan Gazidis is confident Arsene Wenger will agree a new Arsenal deal when his current contract expires at the end of next season.
Chief executive Gazidis is encouraged by preliminary talks and says the Arsenal board are certain that Frenchman Wenger, who has been at the London club since 1996, will extend his stay at The Emirates.
"Everybody knows the board has always backed Arsene and believes in him totally," Gazidis told The Telegraph. "There's no dimming in his desire and I've no doubt that we'll extend his contract."
Gazidis did admit, however, that the club must consider why they were unable to break the recent authority of Chelsea and Manchester United.
He added: "We have to take a look at ourselves and work out how we can take the next step forward because we've been waiting a long time to win a trophy."
