Arsenal are reportedly close to finalising a new long-term contract for Mikel Arteta, with well-placed sources indicating that negotiations have moved forward and confidence is high that the Spaniard will remain in charge. With the summer transfer market now closed until January, attention at the Emirates has shifted from buying players to securing the man who has overseen Arsenal’s dramatic rise — and, in classic Arsenal fashion, the club appears determined to negotiate every last detail before finally putting pen to paper.
The development arrives after Arteta repeatedly insisted that there was no reason for supporters to worry about his future. The Arsenal manager has entered the final year of his existing agreement, but recent comments have made his intentions clear: he wants to stay, while the club wants him to stay. In other words, the only thing apparently standing between Arteta and a new contract is the small matter of actually signing the thing.
Arteta’s Future Looks Increasingly Settled
According to the trusted information reaching OGM News FC, discussions have progressed significantly, with those involved increasingly confident that an agreement will be reached. Arteta has already described his relationship with Arsenal as comfortable and “organic”, a word that has apparently become powerful enough to survive months of contract negotiations without needing a transfer fee attached to it.
The mood around the club also reflects the manager’s recent success. Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title under Arteta in 2025/26, while the club’s hierarchy has publicly made retaining him a major priority. Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke previously described keeping Arteta as an “utmost priority”, meaning the club’s famous contract-drafting department may now have one particularly important document sitting at the top of the pile.
From “Matter of Time” to Massive Pay Rise
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick has previously indicated that the renewal was simply a “matter of time”, and the latest development suggests that time may finally be running toward its conclusion. The situation is hardly a dramatic managerial standoff: Arteta has made his desire to remain clear, the club has shown its desire to retain him, and the negotiations are reportedly moving in the same direction.
There is also a financial reason for all the smiles. Arteta can reportedly expect a significant improvement on his existing package, which is understood to be worth around £10 million per season with an additional £5 million linked to Champions League qualification. If the new agreement is completed as expected, the Spaniard could move into the ranks of the best-paid managers in world football — proof that winning the Premier League can be an excellent negotiating strategy.
For Arsenal, however, this is about more than salary. Arteta’s continuation provides stability at a time when the club are building around a title-winning squad and competing again in the Champions League. Arsenal’s 2026/27 European campaign has already begun, with the club travelling to Napoli for their opening league-phase fixture on September 9, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead.
In conclusion, Arsenal’s long-running Arteta contract story appears to be approaching its final chapter, with the manager eager to remain, the club eager to keep him and negotiations reportedly moving toward an agreement. The biggest question now may not be whether Arteta stays, but when Arsenal finally decide that the “matter of time” has lasted long enough to become an official announcement. OGM News FC will continue watching the negotiations, the paperwork and, naturally, the size of the cheque for further updates.
