How Mikel Arteta could be rewarded even if Arsenal do not win historic double

Arsenal are planning to offer head coach Mikel Arteta a new contract regardless of end-of-season results, according to reports.

The Gunners find themselves on the cusp of greatness and just four wins away from winning a historic Premier League and Champions League double.

On Tuesday, Arteta led Arsenal to their first Champions League final in 20 years after his team beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg of their semi-final (winning 2-1 on aggregate).

The North Londoners, who have never won a major European trophy before, will test their mettle against UCL holders Paris Saint-Germain in the showpiece held in Budapest on May 30.

Arsenal are also in the driving seat to win their first Premier League title in more than two decades, as they sit five points clear of rivals Manchester City at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more.

The title race is in Arsenal’s hands following Man City’s 3-3 draw with Everton on Monday, with Arteta’s side needing to beat West Ham United, Burnley and Crystal Palace to secure top spot.

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Arteta ‘in love’ with Arsenal with new contract to be offered this summer

Arteta has the opportunity to write his name into the Arsenal history books, but even if the season somehow fizzled out into disappointment, journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Gunners are still planning to offer their boss a new contract in the summer.

Romano adds that Arteta is focused on winning trophies for now, but he is ‘in love’ with the Arsenal project and will look forward to holding talks over a fresh deal.

Sources from talkSPORT, meanwhile, have indicated that preliminary discussions have already been held over Arteta extending his stay in North London, with the 44-year-old ‘keen to commit’ to the Gunners.

In September 2024, Arteta penned a three-year contract extension, worth a reported £10m a year, to remain Arsenal manager; only Manchester City's Pep Guardiola (£20m) and Atletico’s Diego Simeone (£25m) are believed to be pocketing more than the Spaniard in European football.

It remains to be seen how much Arteta would earn on a new contract this summer, but he would likely receive a pay rise that would push him closer to both Guardiola and Simeone should he pen fresh terms.

After working as Guardiola’s assistant coach at Man City for more than three years, Arteta decided to step up and become a manager for the first time with Arsenal in December 2019, replacing Unai Emery.

Arteta celebrated FA Cup glory in his first season with the Gunners before lifting the first of two Community Shields at the start of the following campaign.

Major trophies have been hard to come by for Arteta during his time at the Emirates, though, with Arsenal frustratingly finishing second in each of the last three Premier League seasons and falling short in both European and domestic cup competitions – most recently losing in the EFL Cup final in March.

However, Arteta has transformed Arsenal from a team who finished eighth in his debut campaign into a formidable side that is regularly challenging for titles, building a squad filled with elite options in every position to make the club better equipped to progress deeper in multiple competitions.

Arteta’s tactical blueprint, built around control, defensive solidity, positional superiority and intensity, has been criticised in some quarters, but the Spaniard has stuck to his guns and this could be the year he leads the Gunners to glory not just once, but twice.