Arsenal close to finalising new contract for Arteta

WHAT HAPPENED
Arsenal are in the final stages of agreeing a new, long-term contract with manager Mikel Arteta, with discussions reported to have moved forward recently and those involved said to be confident of a renewal. The club's transfer window is closed until January as the talks continue.

DETAILS FROM THE TALKS
Arteta has sought to remove doubt over his future, saying: "Everybody feels comfortable that the timing of the contract is not going to be an issue because my will certainly is to be here and I'm very happy here." Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick described it as merely a "matter of time" before a new deal is confirmed. The club has committed to significantly improving Arteta's current terms; his existing deal is reported to be worth £10m a season plus an extra £5m if Arsenal qualify for the Champions League.

WHY IT MATTERS
Arteta was appointed in December 2019 and is described as the dominant footballing figure at the club. The source text credits him with transforming Arsenal from a side that had lost Champions League status to one that "won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years last season." Arsenal are characterised as overwhelming favourites to retain the domestic title and are fancied to contend in the Champions League this season.

The source also highlights Arteta's influence over recruitment and squad decisions: he was closely involved in Arsenal's pursuit of Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Jr last month, and the summer signings of Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa are cited as evidence of the owners' willingness to spend on established players. The squad's average age is given as 26.2 years.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
There is no confirmed announcement date; Arteta's current contract has around nine months left to run, creating an incentive to conclude the deal. Club confidence in the talks and public comments from Arteta and Garlick suggest an agreement is expected, but the timing of any formal confirmation has not been specified.

Source: BBC Sport Football