It has now perhaps gone beyond the point where Arsene Wenger can convince the Arsenal following that his continued presence is to be seen as something of a coup.
Nonetheless, reaffirming his intention - desire would make it seem like he had less control over the matter - to stay with the club that he has now managed for almost 22 years.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS ahead of Arsenal's Europa League tie with Sweden's Ostersund, the Frenchman was quick to dissuade the notion that he may depart the club a year earlier than his contract stipulates:
I always respected my contracts, I would like to remind you.
Not the news that many Arsenal fans would welcome, Wenger was keen to remind them that his loyalty has been tested before, but never found wanting:
I said no to all the clubs in the world, to all the biggest clubs, to respect my contract. That's what I always try to do.
There is a time when Wenger's services were amongst the most highly sought after in world football. Yet, akin to the players he once was capable of attracting to Arsenal, aiding their development to often meet outstanding ends, Wenger may no longer seem like such a prized asset himself.
Looking set to miss out on Champions League qualification through the traditional manner for a second successive season, it is the Europa League that offers Wenger the most likely opportunity of absolving Arsenal's patchy domestic form this season.
With this year's final set to take place in France, the prospect of a first European trophy for Wenger is not something he is willing to discuss just yet however:
We have as well to accept in our job that the future is the future. For me, the future is to win our next game.
We have to perform better in every single game and we have to show until the end of the season a complete hunger to win every single game. That’s what it’s about for us.
Have the players who’ve come in got the quality to give us something special? Yes, but it’s for us to now prove that on the field.
Up against a wholly un-fancied side in Ostersund, should Arsenal find themselves in the last-16, the likes of Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Dortmund are but a sampling of the sides that they may have to overcome if they want to reach the elite level of European competition once more.
