Graphic: Tony Cascarino's football weekend

Arsenal are planning to offer Arsène Wenger a new contract at the end of the season in a bid to entice key players to stay at the club. The manager has a little more than two years remaining on his existing deal and has historically left it until the final 12 months of his contract before entering negotiations over an extension, but the club are no longer entirely comfortable waiting until the last minute to discover his intentions.

Arsenal are not worried that Wenger will break his present contract as he has always insisted that he will see it out, and they regard him as a man of his word. But given the uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the club, they are keen to promote greater long-term planning in the dugout. With a potential takeover battle between Alisher Usmanov, the Russian-based billionaire, and Stan Kroenke, the American, bubbling away in the background, the board is keen to secure the future of its greatest asset.

The move to encourage Wenger, 59, to commit earlier than usual is also an acknowledgement of the fact that he is the club’s best hope of keeping their crop of talented young players at the Emirates Stadium. The representatives of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott have been engaged in contract talks for some time — with little discernible progress — as both have only one year remaining on their deals, while Cesc Fàbregas’s future will always be an issue because of the strong interest in him from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The Spain midfield player still has five years left on his contract, but the huge bids Arsenal will receive for him, and the wages he could earn elsewhere, mean that they will never be completely certain of retaining him, much like the situation that repeatedly faced one of his predecessors as captain, Thierry Henry.

Arsenal are confident of keeping Fàbregas this summer and have no plans to offer him an improved contract, but the situation would be entirely different if Wenger was not at the club. The entire first-team squad was signed by the Frenchman and there is a realisation that players such as Fàbregas may be reluctant to sign further contracts if his future is in doubt.

With no trophies having been won since 2005 — when they captured the FA Cup for the fourth time in his 13-year reign, to go with three Premier League titles — Wenger has come under pressure this season, with his side being repeatedly booed and some fans even calling for him to be sacked. But while the board is reluctant even to consider a future without a man who has delivered sustained success on a limited budget, it would prefer to know sooner rather than later if he intends to walk away so that it can begin to plan a succession.

Wenger’s most recent contract was a three-year extension signed in September 2007 and since then he has been reluctant to discuss his future beyond 2011. His position at Arsenal has always been based on the strength of his relationship with key individuals such as David Dein, the former vice-chairman, and his firm belief in the history and tradition of the club, so it will be intriguing to see how he responds to even the gentlest attempt to force his hand. The board will not put too much pressure on him to sign a new deal, but wants at least some indication of his plans.

There were fears that Wenger would walk away when Dein was forced from the board in April 2007, but they proved unfounded and his position has since been strengthened. Wenger was pleased to see the back of Keith Edelman, the former chief executive with whom he clashed repeatedly before Edelman’s resignation in May last year, and played a key role in the recruitment of Ivan Gazidis, his replacement, with whom he is developing a good working relationship.

Arsenal would like Wenger to stay at the club in some capacity even if he does decide against signing a new contract and will almost certainly offer him a place on the board at the end of his managerial career.

Three to tie down

Cesc Fàbregas has a contract that runs out in June 2014, but that has not prevented the midfield player from talking of a “dream return” to Barcelona at some point in his career. The Spanish club’s persistent flirtation with Fàbregas is the cause of much frustration for Arsène Wenger, right.

Emmanuel Adebayor has signed a deal that keeps him at the Emirates Stadium until June 2012. The Togo striker, who arrived from Monaco in June 2006, has attracted interest from Italy, where AC Milan are reported to be lining up a £35 million move this summer.

Theo Walcott has yet to sign a new contract and the winger’s present deal expires in June 2010. His advisers have been in talks about an extension worth about £60,000 a week.