“We have an unbelievable time ahead of us” – Arteta ready to resume contract talks

Mikel Arteta says he’ll resume contract talks with Arsenal once the transfer window closes next Friday.

The Spaniard took over as head coach in December 2019 and was soon promoted to manager before signing a three-year extension in 2022.

With the end of his current deal in sight, it’s expected he’ll commit to a new long-term deal.

Arteta has regularly made clear that he and the club are on the same page when it comes to his future and despite being sounded out by other clubs, including Barcelona, he has no intention of walking away from his Arsenal project.

“The focus has been on the transfer window and we’ve had quite a lot of things to do and discuss. We’re on it and we’ll take care of that in the right moment,” Arteta told his pre-Aston Villa press conference.

Asked if that means once the transfer window closes, he replied, “Yeah.”

He added: “I am [excited] and I’m very grateful for where I’m sitting and the people that I work with every single day.

“It’s really difficult to find that harmony, that trust, that belief, that same alignment in ambition and it’s something that I always mention. I believe that we have an unbelievable time ahead of us, it’s very exciting and I’m very excited about it.

“I see myself today and tomorrow,” he said whether he has ambitions to emulate the tenures of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City or Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

“This is the reality for us managers. We have to live with that urgency as well, it’s something good, it’s something that I actually like.

“Looking two years time, three years time, okay, you have to plan because it’s the club, but what is going to happen afterwards will depend on how good the results are that we get. That’s our reality. In the meantime, do your best and enjoy it if you can.”

With the backing of the owners, the 42-year-old has rebuilt the squad in his own image over the last five years, bringing Champions League football back to the Emirates and revitalising the connection between players and supporters.

It’s not all been plain sailing. He initially struggled to lift a bloated and unbalanced squad from its mid-table stupor, however, with an early FA Cup success to his name, he earned the trust of the board and the patience of supporters while he got to grips with the job at hand.

It’s now expected that Arsenal will contend for the Premier League title for a third year in a row.

Post a Comment

0 Comments