ARSENE WENGER TO DIVORCE WIFE ANNIE

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has split from his wife. The Gunners chief and Annie broke up after months of speculation their relationship was on the rocks. It is not a full divorce and Wenger, 65 will still be expected to support Annie, 59, financially. They got a judge in Paris to issue a “separation of bodies” judgment, meaning they are free to see other people. A source told SunUK:  “They have divided up their assets and agreed a financial package to separate. “They have not been happy for a while, and they decided this was the best course of action to take.” Wenger married Annie in 2010, a few weeks after The Sun revealed he had become close to French rapper Sonia Tatar, then 39. He had been in a long-term relationship with Annie before their wedding and they have an 18-year-old daughter Leah. Papers in Wenger’s home town of Strasbourg show they have not been together since June. No details of any financial settlement have been revealed. And it is not clear whether the couple are still living together at their North London mansion near Arsenal’s training ground in London Colney. A French legal expert said: “This is a legal separation, which means the couple are not legally obliged to live together, and they can have separate lives, and no longer have intimate relations. He will have to still keep his responsibilities to look after the family. If the judgment is not overturned within two years, a divorce will be automatically granted. This is something not often done anymore, often Catholic families use this as they are reluctant to get a divorce, but legally there is little difference.” Wenger received an OBE with his wife by his side in 2003. They were last pictured together at an IWC watch event in January 2014 in Germany. In a 2008 interview, Wenger admitted the job was a strain on family life.

Wenger, who previously admitted that his high pressured job with Arsenal had put pressure on his marriage has not been seen with Annie since 2013, which led to speculations for months that all was not well between the couple. Their split have now been confirmed.

They are said to have agreed a financial package and divided up their assets after Arsene filed for legal separation in a French court.