Arsenal are confident of naming a successor to Arsene Wenger before the World Cup kicks off next month. The Frenchman, who has two more games as manager, is leaving the club after almost 22 years. The Gunners have no specific deadline for the recruitment process, but an announcement is expected before the tournament starts in Russia on 14 June.

Ex-Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has been linked with the job, and seems to be the favourite by bookies and experts to become manager, along with Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri. Former Arsenal midfielders Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira have also been suggested as potential successors, as have Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim and three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti.

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny will be out for six months after surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon, says Gunners manager Arsene Wenger. Koscielny, 32, was carried off 12 minutes into Arsenal’s Europa League semi-final second leg defeat by Atletico Madrid last Thursday. France manager Didier Deschamps had already confirmed the centre-back would miss this summer’s World Cup.