Arsenal are close to finalising a new long-term contract for manager Mikel Arteta, with negotiations between the club and the Spanish coach reportedly progressing positively.
According to the BBC, talks have moved forward in recent weeks, with all parties confident that Arteta will agree to fresh terms and continue as Arsenal manager at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta, whose current contract has nine months remaining, is expected to become one of the highest-paid managers in world football if the new agreement is completed.
His existing deal is worth £10m per season, with an additional £5m available if Arsenal qualify for the Champions League. However, the club is prepared to significantly improve his overall package under the proposed new contract.
Arteta has previously made it clear that he wants to remain at Arsenal, saying last month that he was “very happy” at the club and that the timing of a new contract would not be an issue.
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick has also described a new agreement with the manager as a “matter of time”.
Since taking charge in December 2019, Arteta has transformed Arsenal into Premier League champions, ending the club’s 22-year wait for the league title and establishing himself as the longest-serving manager in English football.
The Spaniard has also become a key figure in Arsenal’s transfer strategy, with the club’s recruitment plans and pursuit of elite players closely matching his vision for the squad.
The arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa during the summer, alongside Arsenal’s unsuccessful attempts to sign Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez, demonstrated the club’s willingness to make significant investments in strengthening the team.
The BBC reports that Arsenal’s ownership considers Arteta’s continued presence crucial to the club’s long-term ambitions, particularly with the current squad viewed as capable of creating a sustained legacy.
A new agreement would take Arteta closer to a decade in charge of Arsenal, where he has already served longer than every other current Premier League and EFL manager.
Source: BBC
