Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta signs new contract until 2027

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has signed a new three-year contract with the club.

The Spaniard was set to be out of contract at the end of the season but has now committed to a deal until 2027, prior to Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham.

“I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next,” said Arteta.

“I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we’ve already done together.”

The Gunners appointed Arteta, who had been working as a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City at the time, to replace compatriot Unai Emery as boss in December 2019.

He led Arsenal to victory in the FA Cup final at the end of the 2019-2020 campaign to claim his first major trophy as a manager.

Arsenal have finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League in the past two seasons as the 42-year-old tries to steer the club to their first top-flight title since 2003-04.

“Mikel is a dynamic and passionate manager, who is relentless in the pursuit of excellence,” Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke added:

“He has a deep understanding of Arsenal’s values, and since joining us as head coach in December 2019, he has taken the team to another level in an Arsenal way.”

Gunners sporting director Edu added Arteta’s contract gave the club “stability and clear direction as we aim for new heights”.

After three games this season Arsenal are fourth, having won their first two matches against Wolves and Aston Villa before being held to a draw by Brighton.

A former midfielder, Arteta made 150 appearances for the Gunners during his playing career and also captained the side.

Arsenal have successfully become a force again under manager Mikel Arteta, and a new three-year deal represents a firm backing that he is the man to end the club’s wait of more than 20 years for a Premier League title.

It felt like there was little chance he would leave when his contract expired next summer, given the relationships he has built internally and the reassuring calm with which he spoke when discussing the deal.

But previous links to Paris St-Germain and Barcelona perhaps showed the need to tie down Arteta.

The whole machinery at Arsenal behind the scenes is behind both Arteta and sporting director Edu, who have found a way to be competitive against the Manchester City juggernaut – running them close to the title last season.

They also went close in the 2022-23 campaign, but it is now time to take the final step.

After signing Raheem Sterling, Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori the Gunners have again strengthened, though question marks have remained over whether they should have signed a striker.

This is a manager, squad and backroom staff seemingly now capable of winning the biggest titles in England, and it is perhaps symbolic that a new deal comes before a north London derby against Tottenham.