Mikel Arteta has agreed a new and improved contract with Arsenal, committing the manager to the club as he attempts to build on their transformation into Premier League champions.
Arteta’s existing deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but negotiations over an extension had been under way for several months. An agreement was understood to be close earlier this month and the final details have now been settled.
The length of the new contract has not been confirmed, although it is expected to take Arteta beyond a decade at Arsenal. He arrived as head coach in December 2019 and has since overseen a remarkable rebuilding of the club.
The new agreement will also bring a significant increase to his salary. Arteta currently earns £10m a year, with a further £5m available in bonuses, and his revised package is expected to reflect his status as one of the leading managers in European football.
Arteta had already sought to reassure supporters that there was little reason for concern over his future.
“I’m extremely happy and I feel very grateful to work with the people I work with,” he said last week. “I want to stay, so don’t worry.”
The decision represents more than simply an extension for a manager whose Arsenal side ended a two-decade wait for the Premier League title last season. Arteta’s ambitions extend to establishing a sustained period of success at the Emirates.
Arsenal’s narrow Champions League disappointment, when they came within a penalty kick of lifting the trophy, provided further motivation rather than prompting thoughts of departure.
Arteta has built a team capable of competing for the biggest prizes in European football and the new contract gives him the opportunity to continue that project.
For Arsenal, retaining the manager provides continuity at the heart of their recent revival. For Arteta, it is another commitment to discovering how much more history this side can create.
