Arsene Wenger walked out on Arsenal to avoid the sack and would be open to the right managerial job

The Frenchman had hoped to retire as Arsenal manager, but will now leave at the end of the season

Arsene Wenger jumped before he was pushed after Arsenal had made it clear to him that they wanted to move on this summer, The Independent has learned.

The Frenchman's 22-year reign in north London will come to an end next month, leaving behind a club that he turned into one of the world's richest and best-known.

But the Gunners are set for their worst-ever league finish under Wenger and it has been more evident since January that things were changing inside the club. Majority shareholder Stan Kroenke sent his son, Josh, to work more closely with the club and, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis, worked to fill the previously-feared 'power vacuum' that would facilitate Wenger's departure.

A slew of high-level appointments suggested that the club's hierarchy was being re-shaped with urgency. Sven Mislintat, nicknamed 'Diamond Eye' for his role in securing a pipeline of talent for the Dortmund first team, joined as head of recruitment. Raul Sanllehi was hired as head of football relations, a role he had previously held at FC Barcelona. The framework was being prepared and foundations laid for Wenger's exit - the only question was when.

“After careful consideration and following discussions with the club, I feel it is the right time for me to step down at the end of the season,” Wenger said in the opening line of his statement on Friday. But it is understood that Wenger did want to continue and that he had dreamed of retiring as Arsenal manager. The club were ready to move on though, and an agreement was reached for Wenger to leave on his own terms. He would later plead with the club to let him tell the players before his departure was announced.

Wenger is not necessarily ready to end his career now. Despite being 68 years old, the Frenchman is in remarkable health and has lost none of his mental sharpness. Many clubs have expressed an interest in Wenger in the past - Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona - but now they would have a real shot at attracting him, but the role would have to be right for Wenger to dive back into management.