Edu now has one huge Arsenal priority to solve after weekend Barcelona development

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Arsenal now face renewed pressure to secure the future of manager Mikel Arteta.

As things stand, Mikel Arteta only has 18-months remaining on his current Arsenal contract.

All the indications are that Arsenal want to keep the Spanish coach, and Arteta himself wants to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium. However, until new terms are signed and sealed, there is little security in the situation.

Now, the latest news from Spain will surely cause the Gunners to treat Arteta’s contract situation with greater urgency. Xavi Hernandez has announced that he will be stepping down as Barcelona boss at the end of the current campaign. The La Liga giants are thought to be eyeing up Arteta as his replacement in the dugout. 

Arteta, of course, has a personal connection with Barcelona, having come through the club’s famed La Masia academy system as a youngster. However, he never made a senior appearance for the club before joining PSG. As such, the former midfielder may well feel that he has unfinished business at the Camp Nou. 

Edu must do all he can to convince Mikel Arteta into Arsenal stay

The temptation of taking over at Barcelona, from Arteta’s perspective, is obvious. The Spanish outfit are one of the biggest clubs in world football and boast a storied history and a track record of consistent success.

However, Arteta may well feel that his work at Arsenal is not yet done. He has built a young, talented squad in north London that are hungry for success. Arteta has transformed the club into genuine Premier League title contenders once again and has restored them to the Champions League. He will be determined to win some major silverware with these players before he moves on.

If Arteta now needs any convincing to stay at the Emirates Stadium, then sporting director Edu will have to step up and make a strong case on behalf of the north London club. 

Edu has fought for Arteta before, as he played a part in the manager keeping his job at Arsenal throughout a difficult period earlier on his tenure. Now, the Brazilian must make sure he is doing all he can to keep Arteta happy at the club. 

Until Arsenal are able to tie Arteta down to new terms, speculation will swirl around the manager’s future, which would be an unwelcome distraction at this stage in the season whilst the Gunners are gearing up for another Premier League title push.