Arsenal chairman fails to back manager Arsene Wenger in ambiguous statement

He said any decision would be made 'mutually'

Sir Chips Keswick said he holds the club's long-term interests at heart (Getty)

Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick has released a statement on Arsene Wenger’s future as the pressure continues to grow on the Frenchman.

Arsenal were thrashed 10-2 as a result of back-to-back 5-1 defeats by Bayern Munich, as they were eliminated from the Champions League last-16 for the seventh consecutive season.

The Gunners also dropped out of the top four with defeat by Liverpool last weekend and fans staged a protest outside the Emirates against their manager ahead of the second leg with Bayern on Tuesday evening.

Wenger is out of contract in the summer and has yet to make a decision on whether he will continue as boss, despite there being a new two-year contract on the table.

In a statement posted on the club’s website, Keswick failed to back his manager and just insisted a mutual decision would be taken in the summer.

He said: "We are fully aware of the attention currently focused on the club and understand the debate.

"We respect that fans are entitled to their different individual opinions but we will always run this great football club with its best long-term interests at heart.

"Arsène has a contract until the end of the season. Any decisions will be made by us mutually and communicated at the right time in the right way.”