Arsenal are uninterested in entertaining Barcelona’s links for Mikel Arteta and remain confident of keeping their title-challenging manager.
According to Give Me Sport, Arsenal are confident of keeping Mikel Arteta beyond the summer amid repeated links with a move away for the Barcelona target. The Spaniard is contracted until 2025 on a £9.5 million-a-year deal, with the club likely to offer him a new contract in the coming period.
Arsenal plan on keeping Mikel Arteta
The media is abuzz with rumours about Barcelona’s potential interest in bringing Mikel Arteta in as a replacement for Xavi Hernandez. The former Spanish international helped the Catalans take a big step towards a Champions League semi-final with a 3-2 win over PSG in Paris. However, he has already announced his intention to leave the club in the summer, which has led to links to the Arsenal boss.
In January, Arteta rubbished links to Barcelona after a Spanish outlet publicly stated he was about to leave the club in the summer. The Spaniard has done a fabulous job at the Emirates over the last two seasons, and this time around, they are challenging for significant honours, sitting at the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal have no interest in letting Arteta leave and will not entertain any links with Barcelona. The Catalan giants were urged to get the Spaniard to replace Xavi, but they might struggle to sell a new project compared to what he’s doing in north London.
The other reason these Arteta links have resurfaced could stem from the Catalans losing the race for Ruben Amorim, who seems poised to take over at Liverpool. Barcelona were keen on the Sporting CP boss and now may return to try again for the £9.5 million-a-year Arsenal manager.
New Arsenal contract for Arteta?
Arsenal are extremely happy with Arteta for bringing the club among the English elites, and irrespective of whether they win anything this season, they will continue with the Spaniard. They could hand the Barcelona target a new deal, with his current £9.5 million-a-year contract set to expire in 2025.
Meanwhile, Arteta seems happy with the backing he has received from the club and the owners for building this project. He has assembled a squad that appears good enough to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League crowns this year and in future seasons.
