Mikel Arteta has moved to reassure Arsenal supporters that his expiring contract is not a source of tension at the club, even as he prepares his side to defend their Premier League crown starting with Sunday's Community Shield clash against Manchester City in Cardiff.
The Spaniard's current deal runs out at the end of the upcoming season, and with no extension yet signed, questions have inevitably arisen about his long-term future at the Emirates. But speaking to reporters on Friday, Arteta made clear that both he and the club view the situation as a formality rather than a concern.
"They don't have to worry about any of that, because I want to be here," Arteta said. "I am extremely happy. I feel very grateful to work with the people that I work with and when we have the possibility, we will resolve that. And that's it."
Having taken charge in December 2019, Arteta is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League following Pep Guardiola's departure from City. He led Arsenal to their first league title in 22 years last season and also guided the club to the Champions League final, where they fell to Paris Saint-Germain. That success prompted expectations that a new deal — reportedly set to make him one of the best-paid managers in world football — would be finalized over the summer, but the transfer window has taken priority instead.
"There is always another priority, I think. And that's the way we have been treating it, because everybody feels comfortable that the time on the contract is not going to be an issue," Arteta explained. "I think because my will, certainly, is to be here and I am very happy here. My feeling from the club is the same one. That is why everyone is doing things in a really organic way."
With the transfer window open until September 1, Arsenal appear content to leave contract discussions until a quieter moment in the campaign. Business has already been busy on the incoming front, with the club completing deals for midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and turning Piero Hincapie's loan from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent transfer, in a combined outlay of £143.5m. Goalkeeper Illan Meslier also joined on a free from Leeds United, while Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Christian Norgaard have departed.
Despite missing out on Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior — who opted to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu — and failing in an earlier pursuit of Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, Arteta insisted he remains satisfied with the squad's progress and the club's broader ambitions. Arsenal are still working on defensive reinforcements following injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, with Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah and Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa among the names under consideration. The club are also looking to move on fringe players including Gabriel Jesus, Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira before the window closes.
"I am really happy with the squad, the players that I have and I am really happy with the ambition of the club. There is zero question about that," Arteta said. "We have super strengths and we have other areas we need to be very conscious of, because we don't have the elements or the structure that other clubs have. We need to do it our way."
Looking ahead to the new campaign, in which Arsenal will attempt to become the first club to retain the English top-flight title since the 1930s, Arteta stressed the need for continued improvement. "We're going to prepare to elevate our level, expecting that the rest will do the same," he said. "That's traditionally what happened in the league in the last few years, and that's the way we have planned the season, and the way we want to evolve the team."
Based on reporting from Guardian Football, Standard Football, and BBC Sport.