Arsenal manager favourites: Here's who's taking the Gunners job next

Nick Cushing the manager of Manchester City Women looks on during a training session ahead of the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final at the Academy Stadium on May 02, 2019 in Manchester, England.
Nick Cushing was in charge of Man City for seven years (Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Arsenal are on the hunt for a new manager after Jonas Eidevall resigned in mid-October following an underwhelming start to the season.

Eidevall's assistant coach Renée Slegers has stepped into the interim role but the Gunners are looking for a permanent replacement.

According to current reports, former Manchester City boss and current New York City manager Nick Cushing is on the shortlist for the job.

Arsenal: Who is being considered for the managerial role?

Jonas Eidevall, Head Coach of Arsenal applauds fans after the UEFA Women's Champions League match between FC Bayern München and Arsenal FC at FC Bayern Campus on October 09, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Jonas Eidevall had been in charge of Arsenal for three years (Image credit: Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Cushing had a successful time when he was City manager. He held the role for seven years and in that time he won the Women's Super League, FA Cup and two League Cups.

Cushing has had a steady spell in the Major Soccer League, first being named assistant coach for New York City. He was promoted to head coach in 2023.

Casey Stoney file photo

Casey Stoney was in charge of Manchester United's women's team when it reformed in 2018 (Image credit: Barry Coombs)

It's his knowledge and experience of women's football that has landed him on the shortlist to become the next Arsenal boss and the news is being widely reported.

The 39-year-old's contract with NYC is thought to run until 2025 and so the Gunners may have to pay the MLS club some compensation to bring him in if a deal comes to fruition.

Cushing is not the only person Arsenal are considering and the club are understood to not be in a rush to appoint a permanent replacement for Eidevall. In FourFourTwo's view the one person who should not and probably will not get the job is Phil Neville. He is not too much of a popular figure in women's football and Arsenal fans would not be happy with his appointment.

There have been conflicting reports around another candidate in Casey Stoney. When Eidevall first left, her name was thrown around but the BBC claimed Arsenal were not considering the former Manchester United boss.

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However, since then it has been said that Stoney, who is a free agent, has been interviewed by the club.

Other names which have been spoken about in the media and by fans include former Australia coach Tony Gustavsson, Orlando Pride coach Seb Hines and former Arsenal and current Seattle Reign boss Laura Harvey.

Interim coach Slegers was asked if she wanted to make her role permanent and she said: “That is not on my mind. I just know I am appointed as interim coach and that is where my focus is now. The future, I have no idea.”

Sarah Rendell
Women's football editor

Sarah joined the FourFourTwo team in September 2024 in a freelance role. She also writes for The Guardian, BBC and Rugby World where she specialises in women's football and rugby. Sarah has a bachelors degree in English and a master's in newspaper journalism.