Allegri denies Arsenal reports

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has dismissed suggestions he will be the next manager of Arsenal.

The Italian has been regularly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent years, and those rumours intensified on Sunday with reports he is set to replace Arsene Wenger in north London.

Wenger, in charge of the Gunners since 1996, could opt to walk away at the end of the campaign, with Arsenal poised to bow out of the Champions League in the round of 16 and facing a tough challenge to qualify for the competition next season by securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Speaking after Juve drew 1-1 at Udinese in Serie A on Sunday, Allegri dismissed the claims.

“I repeat what I have already said before – it’s not true,” he said.

“The second thing, even if there was something in it, the first to know and learn my wish to leave would be Juventus… I’m contracted until 2018.

“I’m not the one to decide my future – Juventus will. It is they who decide because it’s the way I work and have worked previously.”

Allegri added: “When time passes, as we did last year, we will evaluate what to do. 

“And if these rumours were true, Juventus would be the first to know and I haven’t talked to Juventus yet.”

The former AC Milan coach has led Juve, who are eight points clear at the top of the table, to successive league titles since his arrival in 2014.