Arteta Vows to Elevate Arsenal as He Marks Six Years at the Helm

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that he must "prove himself worthy" of a contract renewal after spending six years in north London by securing significant silverware.

December 20th represents the milestone of Arsenal's hiring of Arteta during the winter period of 2019. The former club captain had never previously managed a first-team squad, though he arrived with strong credentials following three-and-a-half successful years as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City.

Arteta quickly guided Arsenal to victory in the 2020 FA Cup final at an empty Wembley Stadium and secured the first of two Community Shield victories several months afterward. Nevertheless, despite achieving second-place finishes in the last three campaigns, the determined manager continues to pursue his inaugural Premier League championship.

The 43-year-old's existing agreement with the Gunners runs through the summer of 2027. Before Saturday's match against Everton—which coincidentally was the opening fixture following Arteta's hiring, though he observed a disappointing 0–0 result from the stands while Freddie Ljungberg finished his caretaker role—the present manager was questioned about potentially remaining in the Arsenal dugout past 2027.

"Absolutely," he responded immediately, "but it's focused on the present. And numerous factors must align in the coming months to deserve that opportunity. I believe a manager must prove worthy of being here each day. That's reflected in your reactions, your communication here, your presence in the changing room, the message you convey, and how closely the players support you. I consistently emphasize the need for backing. As I've mentioned previously, the support from ownership and the board is excellent."

The specific requirements for "proving worthy" were clear: capturing trophies.

"You examine the displays, all the milestones we've achieved that were record-breaking in the club's history..." Arteta reflected. "We still haven't accomplished that [winning trophies]. But that demonstrates the standard we're operating at, which is unprecedented in Premier League history. And we aspire to reach even greater heights. If we achieve that, I believe we're progressing correctly toward victory."

Arteta Recognizes His Arsenal Achievements

Despite a modest trophy collection, Arteta has supervised an extraordinary cultural transformation that has produced consistent, consecutive championship pursuits. The Spanish manager was eager to share credit—"A single individual cannot truly transform everything," he maintained—yet acknowledged his impressive managerial statistics.

"Throughout six years, I've witnessed players with exceptional focus, eagerness to improve and commitment to giving their utmost for the team," Arteta expressed enthusiastically when discussing the fulfillment he derives from coaching Arsenal. "That's what this position provides me. Nothing more. And naturally, securing numerous victories, with a success rate that I believe is remarkably strong." Remarkably strong indeed.

After six years in charge, Arteta holds the highest victory percentage of any Arsenal manager who has supervised at least 50 matches throughout the club's complete history. However, the legacies of Arsène Wenger, Herbert Chapman and George Graham will always occupy a more prestigious position in this distinguished institution's history until Arteta can secure one of football's major prizes.

Stats via Arsenal.