Arsenal co-owner Josh Kroenke said signing Mikel Arteta to a new contract is an “utmost priority” for the club.
Arteta’s three-year deal is up for renewal in 2027 and ESPN has reported that both the Spaniard and club are eager for him to extend his six-and-a-half year stay,
“Keeping Mikel around is [an] utmost priority and I think the good news for Arsenal fans worldwide is he’s enjoying the project, he’s enjoying being here and from his time as a player all the way up until now, he’s an Arsenal man through and through,” Kroenke told a small group of reporters ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
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Arteta said last month that he was “fully committed” to the club but that talks on a new deal were being put on hold until the summer.
“We have no time to discuss that now,” he said at the time. “The full focus is on what we have to do from here until the end of the season.”
Since those comments Arteta has led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years and he will make it a historic double if his side beat PSG in Saturday’s showpiece in Budapest.
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“If there is a singular person you can trace this all back to, I’m going to give 100% credit to Mikel, his staff and the players,” Kroenke said. “Those are the ones. As much as Mikel is putting together our tactics, the players have got to go play the games, they’ve got to go and win for you.”
Arsenal spent more than £250 million across eight new players last summer, and Kroenke insists the club will not stand still in their pursuit of more glory.
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“We’re going to look to strengthen because we know that teams around us are going to get better,” he added. “If you’re not trying to continually evolve and improve, you’re standing still.
“We think we have a chance here. We have very strong foundations in place to continue to build and try to sustain. Getting the foundations in place is usually the hardest part of the journey and now we have that, it is about trying to stay at the top, and knowing everyone is trying to climb the mountain after you.”
PA contributed to this report.
