Arteta reaches verbal agreement on Arsenal contract extension, Guardian reports

Mikel Arteta has reached a verbal agreement on a new long-term contract with Arsenal, according to the Guardian. The reported extension would reward the manager after a season in which Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final. The exact length of the deal remains unknown, although the newspaper understands he will commit for at least another three years.

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Arteta's existing contract was signed in September 2024 and runs until the end of this season. Talks over another extension began in May, when Arsenal secured their first league championship since 2004, but were paused during the summer transfer window. The Guardian reported that an agreement has now been reached verbally; its account does not establish that the new contract has been signed.

The extension is expected to bring a substantial pay increase. The newspaper described Arteta's current package as being worth approximately £10m per season, with a further £5m bonus for Champions League qualification. It did not provide a confirmed salary for the proposed new agreement. Arsenal's efforts to retain him follow the club's progress under his management since he replaced Unai Emery in December 2019.

Last season's league title was accompanied by a run to the Champions League final in Budapest, where Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout. This season began with seven consecutive victories across all competitions before a 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday. At 44, Arteta is now the Premier League's longest-serving manager following Pep Guardiola's departure from Manchester City at the end of last season.

Speaking before the Brighton match, Arteta said he was comfortable with the contract discussions and indicated that he and the club shared the same ambition. His comments presented the timing of an agreement as something to be settled when both sides were ready, rather than a cause for concern.

The Guardian also reported that Arsenal want to agree new terms with Declan Rice, who has entered the final two years of his contract. The club is understood to hold an option for a further 12 months, but would prefer a new agreement as it seeks to retain key players on long-term deals.