Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Calms Fan Concerns Over Contract Status Ahead of Manchester City Clash

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal fans have no reason to worry about his future with the Premier League champions as the Gunners boss heads into the final year of his contract.

Arteta ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait to win the Premier League in May and was expected to sign a new contract as a reward for that historic success. With Arsenal set to begin their 2026-27 campaign against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, there have been few signs of the Spaniard getting close to putting pen to paper. But Arteta, who joined Arsenal in 2019, last agreed a new contract with the north London club in 2024, and he has no doubts another deal will eventually be signed.

“They don’t have to worry about any of that, because I want to be here,” the Spaniard 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.”

Hinting Arsenal’s busy close-season transfer activity has been his priority instead of the contract, Arteta reassured supporters not to fret. “There is always another priority, I think! That’s the way we have been treating it, I think because everybody feels comfortable that the time on the contract is not going to be an issue,” he said.

Arsenal have boosted their title-winning squad with the additions of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis. They also made Piero Hincapie’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen permanent and landed Illan Meslier on a free transfer. Arteta’s pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior was unsuccessful during a transfer window where Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea have all spent 100 million pounds ($135m) on one player.

However, Arteta is not worried about Arsenal’s reign as champions being shattered by one of their big-spending title rivals, despite links to Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah to strengthen Arsenal’s defence.

“I am really happy with the squad, the players that I have and I am really happy with the ambition of the club,” Arteta said. “We need to do it our way. We are always on it that way and we will do what we believe is the right thing to do. To have the best possibility to compete in every competition, that’s for sure.”