Arteta tells Arsenal fans not to fret over his future

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (Glyn KIRK) Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal fans have no reason to worry about his future with the Premier League champions as the Gunners boss heads into the final year of his contract. Arteta ended Arsenal's 22-year wait to win Premier League in May and was expected to sign a new contract as a reward for that historic success. With Arsenal set to begin their 2026-27 campaign against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, there have been few signs of the Spaniard getting close to putting pen to paper. But Arteta, who joined Arsenal in 2019, last agreed a new contract with the north London club in 2024 and he has no doubts another deal will eventually be signed. "They don't have to worry about any of that, because I want to be here," he told reporters on Friday. "I am extremely happy. I feel very grateful to work with the people that I work with and when we have the possibility, we will resolve that. And that's it." Hinting Arsenal's busy close-season transfer activity has been his priority instead of the contract, Arteta reassured supporters not to fret. "There is always another priority, I think! That's the way we have been treating it, I think because everybody feels comfortable that the time on the contract is not going to be an issue," he said. "I think because my will, certainly, is to be here and I am very happy here. My feeling from the club is the same one. That is why everyone is doing things in a really organic way." Arsenal have boosted their title-winning squad with the additions of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis. They also made Piero Hincapie's loan move from Bayern Leverkusen permanent and landed Illan Meslier on a free transfer. Arteta's pursuit of Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior was unsuccessful during a transfer window where Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea have all spent £100 million ($135 million) on one player. But Arteta isn't worried about Arsenal's reign as champions being shattered by one of their big-spending title rivals. "I am really happy with the squad, the players that I have and I am really happy with the ambition of the club," said Arteta, who has been linked with Villa's Ezri Konsa and Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah to strengthen Arsenal's defence. "There is zero question about that and we have shown that in the manner we have tried to act, but I think we need to do it our own way. "We have super strengths and we have other areas we need to be very conscious because we don't have the elements or the structure that other clubs have. "We need to do it our way. We are always on it that way and we will do what we believe is the right thing to do. To have the best possibility to compete in every competition that's for sure." smg/gj