Mikel Arteta has signed a new three-year contract at Arsenal that will keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2027, Afrosport reports.
The Spaniard, who was set to be out of contract at the end of the season, has now put pen to paper to remain with the Gunners, days before their trip to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the first north London derby of the season.
“I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next. I’m proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club,” Arteta told the club media on Thursday.
“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.
“Together with the players and everyone at the club, we are looking forward to the coming years, with our supporters, who have emotionally transformed the club and the team. Our supporters have transformed individuals, and we are different now. You can tell that we are different and for me, that is down to them. We look forward to continuing the journey together,” the Spaniard concluded.
Belief in what we do.
Mikel Arteta has committed his future to The Arsenal ✊ pic.twitter.com/fo9zS9jvL5
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 12, 2024
The 42-year-old was appointed as Arsenal manager in December 2019 after working under Pep Guardiola as Manchester City’s assistant manager, following the departure of his fellow countryman Unai Emery.
He won his first major trophy as a manager when the Gunners defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final at the end of the 2019-2020 season. He also led them to a Community Shield triumph over Guardiola and City last season.
Arsenal’s co-Chair, Josh Kroenke, said: “We’re delighted to have extended Mikel’s [Arteta] contract.
“Mikel is a dynamic and passionate manager, who is relentless in the pursuit of excellence. 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.
“There is a great collective team spirit at the club, and with the strong relationships we hold between us and belief in what we do, we look forward with excitement and confidence, as we continue our aim – to win together.”
Edu Gaspar, the club’s Sporting Director added: “We are really happy that Mikel has signed a new long-term contract. It’s a very positive and proud moment for everyone at the club and an important part of what we’re all working towards.
“Mikel has shown his qualities since the very first day he joined us, not only as a football manager, but as a person with wonderful values. We have a strong belief in what we are doing and what we want to achieve together. Mikel’s new contract gives us stability and clear direction as we aim for new heights.”
Arteta, who played 150 times for Arsenal and captained the side, has led the team to second place finishes in the past two Premier League seasons behind City.
In the 2023-24 season, the Spanish tactician was integral in helping the team set several club records, including recording their most Premier League wins (28), most Premier League goals (91) and their highest-ever overall win rate (67.3%) of any season in their history.
Now playing in back-to-back seasons in the Champions League after a seven-year absence, Arsenal will begin their European campaign next week away at Atalanta.
With two wins and draw in their opening three league games, the Arteta’s side remain unbeaten in the English top division, and they currently sit fourth in the standings.
