The Brighton defeat was a harsh final image, Arsenal beaten 3-0 away on Saturday, but it has not altered the club’s faith in Mikel Arteta. The Spanish coach is closing in on a new deal that would keep him at the Emirates long beyond the end of his current contract.
Key takeaways
- Arteta is expected to agree a contract extension with Arsenal before his existing deal expires.
- The proposed agreement could run at least until June 2029, taking him into a 10th season in charge.
- His salary is set to rise significantly from the reported £10 million per year he currently earns.
- Arsenal remain committed to the 44-year-old despite their 3-0 loss at Brighton.
- Arteta led Arsenal to the 2025-26 Premier League title, their first English championship since 2004.
Arsenal stand by their long-term manager
Arteta has been Arsenal manager since December 2019, when the former Paris player took over in north London. With less than a year remaining on his present terms, the club are preparing to extend a relationship that has brought them back to the summit of English football.
The precise length of the new contract has not been confirmed, but it is expected to carry Arteta through to at least June 2029. That would mean the former midfielder reaching a decade at the club, a notable show of stability after a season that delivered both glory and heartbreak.
The fresh terms are also expected to include a substantial pay increase. Arteta’s current annual salary is reported to be £10 million, approximately €11.7 million, and Arsenal intend to reward the coach after his work in rebuilding the side into champions.
A title season followed by Paris heartbreak
Arteta was named the best coach of the previous Premier League season after guiding Arsenal to the 2025-26 title. It ended a 22-year wait for the English crown, with the Gunners last having won the league in 2004.
There was also a long European run, though it ended painfully against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Arsenal drew 1-1 with PSG before losing 4-3 on penalties, falling just short of completing an extraordinary campaign with a continental trophy.
Saturday’s heavy defeat at Brighton has therefore not shaken Arsenal’s view that Arteta remains the right figure to lead the next phase. The club’s project is set to continue under the coach who returned them to the top of England and took them within a penalty shoot-out of Europe’s biggest prize.
