WELL, it’s finally happened!

After what seems like an eternity of ‘will he, won’t he’, Arsene Wenger has finally announced he is to leave Arsenal at the end of the season.

Our game at the Emirates will be his final home game in charge… so we know how that is going to end don’t we?

I’m only kidding of course, the officials would never get a decision wrong in an Arsenal-Burnley fixture would they?

Seriously though Wenger’s impact on British football in the last 22 years has been absolutely incredible.

The Frenchman has changed completely the way clubs approach the game and the tributes paid to him by the great and good have been richly-deserved.

It looks nailed on that they’ll finish sixth after a thumping win over West Ham while our draw at Stoke City edged us ever closer to securing the spot behind them.

And thanks to Chelsea beating Southampton, seventh spot is now guaranteed a place in the Europa League.

We’ve been talking about it as though it’s a definite for the last few weeks but now it’s a reality!

We’re not mathematically there yet but we’re as near as damn it and that in itself is a cause for great celebration.

As it stands we’d enter at the qualifying stage in late July which means the usual pre-season plans will be changed.

But should Arsenal go on and lift the Europa League this season then we’d enter, as I understand it, in the group stage.

I’m not sure the lads would care either way – being in Europe is a high point of any players’ careers and for the vast majority of our lads it’ll be a first taste.

I am sure the added pressure of the Europa League will mean plenty of fresh faces to bolster the ranks and one of the big rumours is a return for Jay Rodriguez.

He’s had a fantastic season in a very poor West Brom side and I think his versatility makes him a perfect signing for us.

I know Sean Dyche was keen last year but the numbers didn’t quite add up at the time.

I’m hoping this time around we can make them work and we’ll be able to see Jay back in his hometown, spear heading the charge for European glory!