Arsene Wenger

The Frenchman departs a year before his latest contract was due to expire.

The Gunners are sixth in the league and set to miss out on a top-four spot for the second straight season, with their hopes of reaching the Champions League resting on winning the Europa League.

Wenger, 68, won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, including the Double in 1998 and 2002.

"I am grateful for having had the privilege to serve the club for so many memorable years," said Wenger. "I managed the club with full commitment and integrity.

Ozil was signed by Wenger for £42.5m from Real Madrid in 2013 and has since gone on to make over 150 appearances for the Gunners and won the FA Cup three times.

On the day that Wenger announced he would leaving Arsenal at the end of the season, Ozil told Sky Sports: "He's the main reason I came here, he convinced me and I am proud to have played under him.

Vieira won three Premier League titles under Wenger and is now in third season as manager of New York City FC following a spell in charge of youth development at Manchester City.

When asked if he could see Vieira succeeding him, Wenger replied: "He works in the moment in New York and he works for Man City. He's a guy who has the potential one day, yes.

Arsenal go into their final league game of the season on Sunday in fifth, knowing even a victory at home to Everton may not be enough to usurp Manchester City or Liverpool, both of whom have Champions League qualification in their own hands.

Protests have been ongoing from sections of supporters who want to see Wenger replaced in the summer, with marches and boycotts taking place in recent weeks.

Six defeats in their last nine matches have seen the Gunners knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in embarrassing fashion and slip out of the top four in the Premier League.

Wenger's future at the Emirates has been the subject of increased scrutiny as he approaches the end of his contract in the summer.

After his side slumped to a fourth Premier League defeat in five games at West Brom, leaving them six points adrift of the top four with 11 games to go, Wenger said his side are in "unique" peril.

"Don't worry, I know what I will do in my future so you will soon know, very soon," Wenger said after a 3-1 loss at The Hawthorns.

Wenger maintains he has not privately made up his mind on his future but will consider fan opinion when he decides whether or not to leave Arsenal in the summer when his contract expires.

The 18-year-old made his Ligue 1 debut at 16 and has been a key figure in the Principality club's re-emergence at the top of French football this season, scoring six goals in 19 games.

Mbappe, a France U19 international, became the club's youngest goalscorer at 17 - a title previously held by Henry - and only signed a new deal with Monaco last year but Wenger, whose side play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge live on Sky Sports on Saturday, has admitted he is following the forward's development.