Mikel Arteta agrees new Arsenal contract to secure his future – after he entered the last year of his deal

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new three-year contract at Arsenal, extending his stay at the club until 2027.

The Spaniard, who replaced Unai Emery in December 2019, has transformed the Gunners from also-rans into genuine Premier League title challengers across his five years in charge.

Arteta’s current deal was set to expire at the end of the season, and the new contract brings an end to the uncertainty surrounding his future.

It also provides Arsenal with a huge boost ahead of this weekend’s north London derby against Tottenham.

Arteta, who honed his coaching skills as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Man City for three years between 2016 and 2019, replaced Emery at the Emirates after what had been a difficult few years for the Gunners.

Arteta replaced Unai Emery in December 2019 and he has had a major impact on the Gunners

He is hugely popular among fans and has helped to transform the atmosphere at the Emirates

He won the FA Cup in 2019-20 after making an impressive impact, with his title changing from head coach to manager shortly after, which demonstrated his growing influence at the club. 

Arteta then oversaw a rebuild as he developed and brought in several young talents such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli, while shifting out big names and high earners like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

After leading the Gunners to successive eighth-place finishes, Arsenal came fifth in 2021-22, before they narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Man City in the past two campaigns.

Arteta – who signed his previous contract in 2022 – has won 139 of his 235 games in charge of the club and has helped to completely transform the atmosphere around the Emirates.

The Spaniard has similarly re-established the Gunners as a competitive force, also winning the Community Shield in 2020 and 2023, while he ensured the club returned to the Champions League after a seven-year absence ahead of last season.

Arteta’s exploits saw him attract admiring glances from Barcelona, but his new deal reaffirms the 42-year-old’s commitment to Arsenal and will take his tenure past half a decade.

Arteta previously cut his teeth as Pep Guardiola’s assistant boss between 2016 and 2019

Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph in 2020 remains the only major trophy Arteta has won with the club

Arteta has re-established the Gunners as a competitive force with a young and vibrant team

Back in March, Arteta registered his 100th Premier League win as manager, which he achieved in seven games fewer than Arsenal’s iconic former boss Arsene Wenger.

The Spaniard previously made 150 appearances for the club over five seasons, two of which he spent as club captain. 

Arsenal have two wins and a draw from their first three games so far this season, although they face a tough ask at Tottenham on Sunday with Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Declan Rice all unavailable due to injury or suspension.