Arsenal identify 'primary target' to succeed Jonas Eidevall
- Nick Cushing preferred candidate to become new Arsenal coach
- Commitments in US could delay a move until December
- Interim manager Renee Slegers expected to remain in charge until decision
Arsenal have their sights set on ex-Women's Super League manager Nick Cushing to succeed Jonas Eidevall, a report has revealed.
The north London club began a recruitment process for a new head coach this month after the resignation of Eidevall, who'd been under scrutiny for his recent string of losses since the beginning of the 2024/25 WSL campaign.
Since then, there's been a lot of speculation as to who would take on the role, including the likes of Kelly Smith, Casey Stoney and Tony Gustavsson, but it's been revealed by The Athletic that Cushing is the club's primary target.
The English manager is currently across the pond heading up Major Soccer League's New York City FC, but his ample experience in women's football has caught the attention of Arsenal.
He had a very successful tenure as head coach of WSL competitors Manchester City between 2013-2020, securing a league title, an FA Cup and two League Cup trophies.
He departed the Cityzens for the United States in 2020, undertaking the men's assistant coach role at New York City FC, before being promoted ahead of the 2023 season. Although Cushing is reported to be the primary candidate, he's not the only name involved in the 'ongoing process'.
However, if he were to be appointed there's a chance the Gunners would have to wait until the end of the year for him to make the move. Cushing is under contract with New York City FC until the end of the 2025 MLS season and is preparing to battle it out in the MLS Cup play-offs. Should his team advance, they would remain in competition until as late as December.
It's expected that Renee Slegers would stay in her role as interim head coach at Arsenal in the meantime. Eidevall's former assistant coach has seen success since taking a step up in their time of need, helping lead the team to two consecutive victories, including a 2-0 win over West Ham and a 4-1 victory over Valerenga in the group stage of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Despite achieving success in such a short period, however, Slegers has dismissed any interest of taking on the role permanently when asked, claiming: "That is not on my mind at all".
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