Despite the uncertainty surrounding Mikel Arteta’s contract, Arsenal remains hopeful of securing a new deal with their manager. This is regardless of whether he can rectify last season's shortcomings by delivering the club's first Premier League title in two decades.
The Gunners are keen to address this situation as Arteta’s contract doesn't have much time left. However, due to an intense three-way title race and the pursuit of their first Premier League trophy in 20 years, discussions about Arteta’s future at the club have been sidelined.
The unnoticed expiry date for Arteta haunts Arsenal fans
Many fans may not be aware that 42-year-old Mikel Arteta will soon enter the final year of his contract with Arsenal. Having taken charge in late 2019, he last signed a three-year deal in May 2022.
Since then, demand for one of football's most exciting managers has grown significantly due to his transformative impact on Arsenal. Under his leadership, Arsenal has evolved from a declining team into back-to-back title challengers and Champions League quarter-finalists this term.
Both Arsenal and Arteta have previously stated they were not in a hurry to negotiate a new deal. However, following their Champions League exit in the Bayern Munich match recently, there seems to be some shift in this stance.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, said:
“What I can say is that I am extremely happy and proud to be where I am. Today no. I don’t know. I played for two great clubs in this country. I’m extremely young and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Arteta’s impressive tenure has unsurprisingly sparked rumours about potential moves elsewhere - particularly from Spanish media outlets looking to unsettle things at Emirates Stadium. In January however, these reports were dismissed by him as “totally fake news”.
Arteta key to Arsenal’s project and their revival
Despite the rumours, Arsenal remained calm about his contract situation. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that the club believes Arteta is committed to Arsenal and intends to continue building on his project. This confidence led them to believe he would sign a new deal when the time was right.
Earlier this month, Arteta insisted there was “nothing to report” regarding his contract extension but expressed happiness at Emirates. He said: "I still have a year in my contract, that’s a long time in football."
While former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has recently signed a new deal with Champions League-chasing Aston Villa, there isn't as much urgency at Emirates Stadium for finalizing an agreement. While Mikel Arteta's future remains uncertain due to his expiring contract, both he and Arsenal seem confident of reaching an agreement soon. As fans eagerly await more news on this front, it's clear that Arteta's transformative impact on the team has made him indispensable for Arsenal.
