Mikel Arteta agrees new long-term Arsenal contract

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, ending months of negotiations over a deal to replace his current terms,

The new agreement, first reported by the BBC's Sami Mokbel, brings a sharp pay rise on those terms, though the exact length of the contract has not been confirmed. It is understood to take Arteta into at least his 10th year in charge, having arrived in December 2019.

All that remains is for the paperwork to be signed and the club to confirm it formally.

Arteta was asked about the talks last week and played down any suggestion of a hold-up.

"They [the fans] don't have to worry about any of that because I want to be here. I'm extremely happy and I feel very grateful to work with the people I work with."

Co-chairman Josh Kroenke had already made the club's position plain at the start of June, shortly after Arsenal won the Premier League title.

"Keeping Mikel around is [an] utmost priority. 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 added: "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."

Under Arteta, Arsenal have won the Premier League, the FA Cup and three Community Shields, and reached their second Champions League final. The new deal comes at an uneven moment on the pitch:, even as they sit level on points with Manchester City following the derby win over Chelsea earlier this month.

A settled contract removes one distraction from a dressing room already carrying two separate transfer stories — Arsenal moving to block a January exit for Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres' camp opening talks with Milan and Juventus. Arteta's own position now looks the more secure of the three.