Arsenal are close to finalising a new contract for manager Mikel Arteta, with the club confident the Spaniard will sign a long-term extension.
Talks have moved forward recently, according to well-placed sources. The new deal is expected to make Arteta one of the best paid managers in world football.
Arteta’s current contract has just nine months left to run. Arsenal have committed to significantly improving on his existing package, worth £10m a season plus an extra £5m upon Champions League qualification.
The manager moved last month to remove any doubt over his future. “Everybody feels comfortable that the timing of the contract is not going to be an issue because my will certainly is to be here and I’m very happy here,” Arteta said.
“My feeling from the club is the same one. That’s why everyone is doing things in a very organic way.”
Chief executive Richard Garlick has said it was merely a “matter of time” before the new deal was confirmed.
Arteta’s Six Years at the Emirates
Arteta was appointed in December 2019. He has transformed Arsenal from a club that had lost its Champions League status to one that won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years last season.
His six years at the Emirates makes him the longest-serving manager in the Premier League and EFL by some distance. The new deal will take him closer to a decade in north London.
Arsenal are overwhelming favourites to retain their domestic crown and are fancied to win their first-ever Champions League this season.
The squad has flourished under Arteta’s tutelage. The average age of the squad is 26.2 years, one of the oldest in the Premier League. It is a group at its peak and primed to build a legacy on.
Supporters have bought into what Arteta is building.
Arteta’s Power at the Club
With that success comes power. Like Arsene Wenger before him, Arteta is categorically the most influential figure, certainly from a football perspective, at the club.
People will say that the manager or head coach should always be the most authoritative figure at any football club. The reality is that is rarely the case.
Arteta’s fingerprints are all over the club, and most importantly the squad. Nothing happens from a first-team perspective without his approval.
When Arsenal tried to sign Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Jr last month, it was Arteta who was at the forefront of the club’s charm offensive.
With that in mind, the thought of removing Arteta from that dynamic, certainly for Arsenal’s ownership, is the unthinkable.
The Pull of Spain
One day, Spain will come calling. A return to his homeland may attract Arteta, although he knows he is unlikely to be afforded the same authority at either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Those clubs are historically entrenched in internal politics. Arteta would not have the same control he has at Arsenal now.
But at this moment, the attraction for Arteta is with Arsenal.
Spending on Arteta’s Vision
Beyond the new financial terms and into footballing ambition, Arsenal are buying into Arteta’s vision.
The summer arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa were sizeable investments given both turn 30 next year. The albeit failed pursuits of Vinicius Jr and Alvarez provided Arteta with evidence that the club’s American owners are willing to spend heavily on elite talent.
It is the sort of ambition Arteta is understood to have made clear he wanted to see as talks over his contract progressed.
| Player | Club | Status of Pursuit |
|---|---|---|
| Julian Alvarez | Arsenal target | Failed pursuit |
| Vinicius Jr | Arsenal target | Failed pursuit |
| Bruno Guimaraes | Arsenal | Signed |
| Ezri Konsa | Arsenal | Signed |
What the New Deal Means
The perception of Arsenal’s transfer window varies depending on who you speak to. But there will be no disagreement from anyone at the Emirates Stadium over how crucial their next expected signing will be.
With the market closed until January, the club are now in the process of finalising an agreement with Arteta over his protracted new contract.
For Arsenal supporters, the official announcement can’t come soon enough.
| Contract Detail | Current Deal | Expected New Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Base value | £10m a season | Significantly improved |
| Champions League bonus | £5m | Not yet specified |
| Time remaining | Nine months | Long-term extension |
| Status | Running | Close to finalised |
The significance of this deal goes beyond the money. It is a statement of intent from Arsenal, a signal that the club intends to keep its most important figure in place for the long term.
Arteta’s current deal expires in nine months. By moving now, Arsenal are removing any uncertainty and allowing Arteta to plan for the future.
The financial commitment is substantial. Arsenal are making Arteta one of the best paid managers in world football, a reflection of his status and his achievements.
A Squad Built for Legacy
There appear to be no signs of Arteta taking his foot off the gas.
This is a squad that has flourished under his guidance. The new contract for Arteta is the clearest sign yet that the club wants to keep the core of this project together.
The ownership has backed him with spending. The squad has backed him with results. Now the contract is set to follow.
The Champions League remains the next target. Arsenal are fancied to win it for the first time this season.
The squad Arteta has built is designed to win now. Guimaraes and Konsa are not signings for the future; they are additions for the present, players who can step straight into the team and make an impact.
Arteta has been the driving force behind that approach. He has identified the players he wants, the style he wants to play, and the culture he wants to create. Arsenal have given him the tools, and he has delivered results.
The relationship between manager and club is strong. Both sides appear committed to the partnership, and the new contract is the formal confirmation of that commitment.
For supporters, the speculation about Arteta’s future has dragged on. But the end is now in sight.
The announcement is expected to come. Arteta is expected to sign. And Arsenal will be able to focus on what matters most: the football.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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