Mikel Arteta signing new contract reveals behind-the-scenes Arsenal fears as Tottenham clash looms

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new contract with Arsenal. 

Mikel Arteta is set to extend his spell in charge of Arsenal.

David Ornstein recently revealed Arteta’s new contract details, stating that the Spanish coach is set to pen a new three-year deal at the Emirates Stadium.

Whilst this is not an entirely unexpected development, as Arteta has been expected to sign a new contract for some time, Arsenal fans will feel relieved that the deal is now done. His extension was confirmed by club’s official website today.

This news will lift the mood at the Emirates Stadium, and that makes the timing of this announcement particularly notable.

Mikel Arteta contract timing a clever Arsenal move

Many Arsenal fans will currently be feeling anxious about Sunday’s North London Derby clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

Whilst this is a fixture that will always get the nerves jangling, the Gunners have more reasons than usual to be nervous.

Arteta is currently dealing with an injury crisis, with Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, and Riccardo Calafiori all facing fitness issues. On top of that, Declan Rice is suspended for this fixture.

Due to this, the Gunners will have to field an unfamiliar looking midfield unit against Spurs.

Meanwhile, the importance of this match to Arsenal can scarcely be overstated, in the context of their rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur and need to keep up with the pace being set by Manchester City.

These factors have all served to lower the mood within the Arsenal fanbase. Therefore, it could be argued that the club likely chose this time to announce Arteta’s new contract in order to give everyone a boost when one feels needed.

There may even be a hope that Arsenal fans might be more understanding of a disappointing result against Spurs in the context of the absence of key players and the knowledge that Arteta’s future at the club is now assured.

This announcement gives the club some small degree of insurance, and fans a crumb of comfort, ahead of what many expect to be a testing weekend. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has tipped Tottenham to win against Arsenal.

Arsenal fans react to Arteta contract announcement

After Arsenal revealed Arteta’s contract extension on X, plenty of the club’s supporters celebrated the news.

One said: “Joined us when we were at the bottom, won trophies with the team, transformed it into title contenders and now we are one of the best teams in the world. Now it’s time to win big in the next three years. Really exciting times for us fans, hope something big is around the corner.”

Another stated: “Scary times but not for us.”

One added: “Congratulations Mikel, best wishes for the season and onwards. I know you have a good plan for us and I trust your judgement and intuition. Wishing you continued success. Thank you for bringing us forward!”