Arteta to sign new contract with Arsenal

London - AFP - Arsenal English football champions will sign a new contract with Spanish manager Mikel Arteta “very soon,” according to club chief executive Richard Garlick on Wednesday.

Arteta ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait to reclaim the Premier League title last season, but the Spanish manager is now in the final 12 months of his current deal.

Although Arteta has consistently expressed his happiness at staying at the Emirates Stadium, the lack of progress in reaching a new agreement has raised concerns among Arsenal fans about his future.

However, the 44-year-old manager appears close to securing a long-term future with the north London club, after Garlick revealed that an extension is imminent.

Garlick told the BBC: “Mikel wants to stay at Arsenal, and we want Mikel to stay at Arsenal. It’s only a matter of time before we turn that into a new contract.”

His last contract extension was signed in September 2024, and the new deal is expected to be finalized after the current transfer window closes at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Arsenal has reached a final agreement with Aston Villa to sign English international defender Ezri Konsa, a move that will bolster the team’s defense ahead of the new season.

German Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reported that the deal is worth €59 million as a fixed fee, plus add-ons, and that Konsa will undergo a medical examination tomorrow, Thursday.

The London club had identified Konsa as one of their top defensive targets this summer, particularly after the injury to French defender William Saliba and the absence of Jurrien Timber at the start of the season.

The 28-year-old Konsa, who can play as a center-back or right-back, was part of England’s squad for the last World Cup.