Mikel Arteta has moved to calm concerns among Arsenal supporters regarding his long-term future at the club. As the manager enters the final year of his current contract, he insists that there is no cause for alarm, emphasizing his desire to remain at the helm of the Premier League champions.
Arteta, who arrived at the north London club in 2019 and last signed an extension in 2024, is currently preparing his squad for Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Manchester City. Despite the high-profile nature of the match, the Spaniard has faced questions about his own tenure, having yet to sign a new deal following the historic achievement of ending the club’s 22-year wait for a league title in May.
Addressing reporters on Friday, the manager was clear about his intentions. “They don’t have to worry about any of that, because I want to be here,” he stated. He added that he feels grateful for the people he works with and expects the matter to be resolved naturally when the timing is appropriate.
Arteta suggested that the club’s intense focus on summer transfer activity had taken precedence over his personal contract negotiations. “There is always another priority, I think! That’s the way we have been treating it, I think because everybody feels comfortable that the time on the contract is not going to be an issue,” he explained. He noted that his personal desire to stay aligns with the club’s vision, allowing the process to unfold organically.
The Gunners have been active in the transfer market, bolstering their title-winning roster with the signings of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis. Additionally, the club made Piero Hincapie’s loan from Bayer Leverkusen a permanent arrangement and secured goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer.
While the club’s efforts to sign Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers proved unsuccessful, Arteta remains unfazed by the spending power of rivals like Manchester City, Tottenham, and Chelsea, who have each invested £100 million ($135 million) on individual players.
The manager expressed full confidence in his current squad and the club’s overall ambition. “I am really happy with the squad, the players that I have and I am really happy with the ambition of the club,” said Arteta, who has been linked with potential defensive reinforcements including Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah.
Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal must operate differently than some of their wealthier competitors. “We have super strengths and we have other areas we need to be very conscious because we don’t have the elements or the structure that other clubs have,” he remarked. He emphasized that the club is committed to its own path.
“We need to do it our way. We are always on it that way and we will do what we believe is the right thing to do. To have the best possibility to compete in every competition that’s for sure,” he concluded, dismissing any notion that Arsenal’s reign as champions is under threat from the heavy spending of their rivals. The report also notes that there have been few signs of the Spaniard getting close to putting pen to paper, with Arsenal set to begin their 2026-27 campaign against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.
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