The Arsenal board appears to have changed its stance on Mikel Arteta in recent weeks - although the Spaniard is still very much safe.
Arteta's Gunners have been very poor this season and their campaign culminated in them being dumped out of the Europa League last week by former boss Unai Emery.
Winning the Europa League was Arsenal's only way of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Their exit means they are now unlikely to be playing any European football next season, given their position in the Premier League.
Arteta has become the bookies' favourite to be the next top-flight manager sacked.
But Gunners owner Stan Kroenke and technical director Edu still back Arteta and remain convinced he is the right man to turn things around.
That said, The Sun is reporting that if Arsenal are stilling a mid-table team come the end of 2021 then Arteta will be replaced.
While Arteta isn't in immediate danger of losing his job, the report does suggest that the board is beginning to U-turn in regards to its unwavering support of the Spaniard.
Arteta was given a lot of time to begin with at Arsenal, as he was working with a struggling squad that he had inherited.
But by the end of 2021, Arteta will have overseen four transfer windows, meaning he has had more than enough time to mould the team to his philosophy.
