PSG may look to appoint Andre Villas-Boas on short-term deal while they wait for Arsene Wenger

The Arsenal manager is the French club's top target but they may be forced to settle for the Tottenham boss for now

Andre Villas-Boas and Arsene Wenger (GETTY IMAGES)

PSG want to appoint Arsene Wenger as their next manager, but concede they may have to make arrangements while they wait for his contract to expire at Arsenal.

That could mean offering Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas a short-term deal in the French capital according to The Evening Standard, a move that would complicate his extraction from White Hart Lane.

The Ligue 1 winning side are set to lose current boss Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid and are seeking a replacement for the Italian.

Wenger enjoys a healthy relationship with PSG owner Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and acted as an adviser when he made the decision to go into football.

Sheikh Hamad also launched television station Al-Jazeera and sought Wenger’s opinion on buying rights and expanding the channel’s football coverage.

Wenger is committed to seeing through his vision at Arsenal after years of financial constraints created by the move from Highbury but PSG’s interest offers a lucrative return to his homeland should he endure another disappointing season with the Gunners.

Arsenal for their part have said the Frenchman will be offered a new deal and are hopeful he will extend his stay in north London. Firm talks on a new contract are expected to be held before the start of the new campaign.

PSG are keen to keep the door open for Wenger as long as possible and, should they receive the appropriate encouragement, are likely to offer their next manager a short-term contract.

Villas-Boas is PSG’s leading target with Wenger unavailable, but even the prospect of bringing Gareth Bale with him from Tottenham would not offset the concerns that he would merely be keeping the seat warm for the Frenchman.

PSG would equally be keen to utilise Wenger in a role as director of football should Ancelotti’s successor prove a hit in his first year but that prospect is, at the moment, hypothetical. Ancelotti is almost certain to take over at Real Madrid but Spurs are expected to strongly rebuff any formal approach for Villas-Boas.

PSG do not view Villas-Boas’ £10m compensation fee as a stumbling block but chairman Daniel Levy is unwilling to countenance the Portuguese’ departure and expects a degree of loyalty after handing him the chance to rebuild his reputation following a disastrous spell at Chelsea.