Arsenal are set to back Mikel Arteta as their manager, despite some outside pressure questioning his future after another trophyless season, Arsenal Insider understands.
The Gunners are coming towards the end of a difficult season, where there were previously hopes that it would end in the silverware that everyone associated with the club craves.
Instead, it has somewhat fallen short, with Arsenal missing out on the Premier League title, before exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
It means a five-year wait for a trophy, with the FA Cup final victory in 2020 the last piece of silverware for Arsenal to lift.
With the squad seemingly ready to compete and win at the highest level, it has brought about some questions about the future of Mikel Arteta.
- READ MORE: Mikel Arteta should stop being stubborn and change one Arsenal player’s position, it’s now or never
Arsenal’s board and owners are ready to back Mikel Arteta as head coach
Arsenal’s growth under Mikel Arteta cannot be underestimated, with the side moving from mid-table struggles to worthy contenders for the biggest prizes in football.
However, with that phase of the rebuild now over at the Emirates Stadium, there is a growing feeling that the head coach will have to deliver trophies soon.
Peter Schmeichel recently criticised Arteta for the recent downturn in form, while there have been some small calls for a potential sacking.
Despite that, though, the Arsenal owners and board as a whole are set to stick with their manager for the coming season.
Arsenal Insider spoke to club expert Graeme Bailey about the situation, and he revealed: “Arsenal, I’m not going to say they could not be happier, of course they could, but they are very, very happy with Mikel Arteta.
“They love where the club is going underneath him, they love how he deals with the squad and everything about him, and the only thing missing is that silverware, really, but Arsenal are in a really good place.
“It’s not perfect, obviously it isn’t, and no club is perfect. They are very happy with the progress, where they’re going, and the way he’s dealing with it.
“They couldn’t think of a better person to be in charge and there’s no voices from above or anywhere else to suggest anything different, from Stan Kroenke down.
“They’re very happy with Mikel Arteta, can’t really stress that enough. They’re not blind to the situation. I think the club’s hierarchy holds their hands up somewhat. Have they given him all the tools that he needed? Perhaps not.
“But Arteta with Kroenke, Garlick, all the hierarchy, Berta now, they’re all pulling in the same direction, they all know what they need, they all know what they want. Football is about winning, but as a club, they think they are in great shape.”
It brings some clarity to the manager’s position heading into the summer transfer window, one that will be vitally important to the club moving forward.
Mikel Arteta’s record at Arsenal and managerial alternatives
Mikel Arteta has spent over five years at Arsenal, a time that other managers are very rarely afforded in the game.
The Arsenal boss has impressed in getting the team back to the very top, with a record that simply speaks for itself.
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals for | Goals against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 287 | 170 | 50 | 67 | 563 | 302 |
On top of quite clearly impressing with taking the Gunners back to a competitive state, there is another factor to consider, too.
If Arsenal were to move Arteta on, it’s not as simple as bringing in a “winning manager” to replace him.
The managerial market is filled with risk, with very few clear options available to replace him, if the time were to come.
That may change in the future, as Arsenal’s circumstances shift, but it seems clear that Arteta is the right man for the moment.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
