Mikel Arteta extends Arsenal contract and says he will reconsider only 'if one day I feel something has changed'

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta signed a contract extension this week and heads into the sixth round of the Premier League with a home match against Leeds, scheduled for tomorrow at 14:30. It will be the Gunners’ first game after the international break and Arteta’s first match since he agreed the new deal.

Arteta on his future and recent controversy at Manchester City

During a pre-match media session, Arteta was asked to address the case involving Manchester City — where he previously worked as Pep Guardiola’s assistant during part of the period now in question, and which the club has been declared guilty of financial irregularities. He framed his contract decision as a matter of shared belief with the club’s leadership.

“For me this is a huge honour. My family and I are extremely grateful that we will continue to enjoy this incredible journey, which began almost seven years ago.

From the very beginning I said that the club and I wanted the same thing. I have always believed that when you try to make a decision about the future, the most important thing at the moment of signing is to look at everyone in the room and see smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes.

That is exactly what I felt with Stan and Josh, then with chief executive Rich Garlick, director of football operations James King and sporting director Berta, but also with the staff and the players. Every day we have to prove that we deserve to be at this level.

“Sometimes you have to stop and ask yourself: ‘How long can you carry on doing this?’ And not only that, how long can you carry on doing it right here? Do you have the desire and energy? How do the people around you look at you when you talk to them?

My answer was positive. If one day I feel that something has changed, we will think again. That is it, it is simple.”

Asked about building a dynasty at Arsenal, Arteta said it is a daily effort and stressed that standards remain high while enthusiasm and ambition persist. On whether he expects to remain in the job for many years, he described himself as still young in coaching terms and said the decision depends on how he perceives his profession and his continuing passion for the game.

Photo: press material from the event