RAFAEL BENITEZ has paid tribute to outgoing Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, and described the Gunners as a “massive club” amid mounting speculation linking him with a possible move to the Emirates.

Wenger will leave his position as Arsenal boss at the end of the season, after 22 years in charge of the North London club.

He will forever be remembered for winning the double with the Gunners, as well as leading the ‘Invincibles’ through an entire Premier League season without losing a game, and while Arsenal supporters have spent most of the current campaign calling for him to step down, Benitez feels his achievements merit a massive amount of respect.

The Newcastle boss said: “I have been talking well about Arsene Wenger for quite a while. When he came here to England, to do things in the way he did and win in the way he was winning, was a massive achievement.

“His behaviour has always been good. He is an example for everyone, but especially a foreign manager like me. He was fighting and winning before me, and it was really difficult to do that. He did really well.

“I think it is the last time we will see this (a manager be in charge of a leading club for 22 years). There is so much money in football now that everyone wants things quickly and want to change things after a couple of bad results, we saw that ourselves when we had a bad run.

“The reality is that you have to be patient and have an idea and a plan. If you stick with the plan you have more chances to do well and that is what he did for 22 years.”

Benitez has one more year of his current Newcastle contract to run, and has been linked with a possible move to Arsenal in the last few days.

He will discuss his future with Magpies owner Mike Ashley at the end of the season, but was reluctant to spend too much time talking about his future at his press conference this afternoon.

He said: “It (Arsenal) is a massive club, but my position now is the same. We have games to play and I want to make sure we concentrate on that. That’s it. I want to make sure we have a good team to play against Everton on Monday.

“The situation is very clear. When I decided to come here, I could see the potential of this massive club and the ambitions of the fans. I can feel this passion after two successful years here.

“I know the ambition of the fans and now I need to know the ideas of the club and whether we share the same ambitions.

“I would like to do it (speak with Ashley) as soon as possible, but I want to concentrate on the games at the same time.”

Christian Atsu has been ruled out of Monday’s Premier League trip to Everton after suffering an injury to his knee.