Arsenal sacked Arsene Wenger and paid him £9million to leave at the end of the season, despite having a year remaining on his contract.
The Frenchman announced on Friday that he was leaving the Emirates this summer after 22 years in charge of the club.
The 68-year-old claimed it was 'the right time for me to step down', but it now emerges that he was forced out under pressure from the US owners.
Instead Wenger lost the support of owner Stan Kroenke, who decided to act ahead of the Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid next week.