Arsenal are set to offer Mikel Arteta a new contract before the end of the season to prevent their manager entering the final 12 months of his deal.
Club chiefs have been happy with Arteta since he replaced Unai Emery two years ago and are eager to retain him despite Arsenal finishing eighth in the Premier League in both his seasons in charge.
Arsenal are confident they are taking major steps forward under Arteta as he builds his team around Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, and sidelines high-earning older stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Arteta’s off-field leadership has impressed executives at the Emirates, with Arteta playing a key role in persuading players to take temporary pay cuts at the start of the pandemic and robustly defending the club’s reputation during the row over Covid call-offs.
Arsenal are also conscious that the expiry date of Arteta’s contract in summer 2023 coincides with Pep Guardiola’s planned departure date at Manchester City, and continued improvement for Arsenal could see him emerge as a successor.
The 39-year-old is happy at Arsenal and will welcome the talks. Any extension would lead to an increase on his £5 milllion salary, with Arsenal seeking to commit Arteta to the club for two more years.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com