Mikel Arteta to Begin Contract Talks with Arsenal After Transfer Window Closes

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that discussions regarding a new contract will commence once the current transfer window closes. Arteta’s existing contract is set to expire at the end of this season, but the 42-year-old Spaniard maintains a strong relationship with the club’s hierarchy, and negotiations are expected to proceed smoothly.

“The focus has been on the transfer window,” Arteta explained. “We had quite a lot of things to do and discuss. We are on it and we will take care of that in the right moment.”

Arteta, who has been at the helm of Arsenal since 2019, has guided the team to consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League over the past two seasons. He expressed his gratitude for the support and trust he has received from the club’s management.

“I am very grateful first of all for where I’m sitting and the people I work with every single day because it’s really difficult to find that harmony, trust, belief, and alignment in the vision,” Arteta said. “It’s something I always mention because I believe we still have an unbelievable time ahead of us. It’s very exciting and I am very excited about it.”

In the transfer market, Arsenal has been active, securing the services of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori in a £42 million deal and selling midfielder Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham for a potential fee of £34 million. The club is also pursuing Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, with a deal reportedly agreed in principle, and forward Eddie Nketiah is in talks about a possible move to Nottingham Forest.

While Arteta refrained from providing specific details about ongoing transfer negotiations, he emphasized the need for the club to remain vigilant as the window approaches its final days.

“We have to [be ready] because anything can happen both ways,” he noted. “You have to be ready and especially in the last week [of the transfer window]. You have to be alert and prepared because a lot of surprises can come, for many different reasons and we are prepared.”