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LONDON – Mikel Arteta has signed a new deal with Arsenal which keeps him at the English Premiership football club until the end of the 2024/25 season.
The Spaniard took the reins at the Emirates Stadium towards the end of 2019, succeeding Unai Emery.
Arteta led the side to FA Cup glory in his first season as a manager, but in the English Premier League, the Gunners have finished eighth in their last two campaigns.
This season, though, the north London club are in the driving season to secure Champions League football via the top four.
Arsenal are currently in fourth place and leading fifth-placed north London rivals Tottenham by two points.
”I’m excited, grateful and really, really happy today,” said Arteta.
”When I spoke to Josh (Kroenke) he could see the club at the same point and he wanted to take the club the way I wanted to do it. So everything that he’s said, and that Stan (Kroenke) has said when I’ve been together with both of them, they’ve always delivered.
”We want to take the club to the next level and to compete really with the top teams. In order to do that, we have to be playing in the Champions League.
”We have to be able to evolve the team, improve our players, improve all departments, generate even more connection with our fans, improve the atmosphere at the Emirates, be able to recruit top, top talent and the best people for this club to drive this project to that level.”
Arsenal also announced a new deal for Women’s team manager Jonas Eidevall, which runs until 2024.
”It’s great,” said Eidevall. ”It allows me to continue to work for a club that I love so much and be around people that I really, really like, and to be able to achieve things together, so I’m really looking forward to that.”
Arsenal director Josh Kroenke added: ”My father (Stan Kroenke) and I are delighted to have extended both Mikel’s and Jonas’ contracts. It provides stability and clarity for the future and helps us all move forward together effectively.
”Mikel’s commitment and passion are clear for everyone to see. We are confident that as we move forward, he will get us back to competing for the top trophies in the game.
”Turning to Jonas, he has had a fantastic start to his career in England. He has done a terrific job with the team, and we are in contention for the title on the last weekend. We are confident that he will continue to take us forward in the years ahead.”
Meanwhile, Eddie Nketiah is ”not the answer” for Arsenal and the Gunners need an ”upgrade” up front, according to Kevin Campbell.
Arteta has had limited options in the striking department since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was allowed to leave the north London club in the January transfer window. With both Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette’s current contracts due to expire at the end of the current campaign, the Gunners are expected to target a striker in the summer transfer window.
Lacazette has been Arsenal’s main No.9 for the majority of the season, but Nketiah has produced a string of impressive displays to become Arteta’s preferred centre-forward in recent weeks.
The 22-year-old netted a brace in the 4-2 victory over London rivals Chelsea, which ended a run of three consecutive defeats in the English Premier League.
While Nketiah has offered the ability to run in behind opposition defences, Campbell doesn’t feel the Gunners academy graduate is the solution up front.
The ex-Arsenal striker suggested his former club need two new centre-forwards and should target Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen or Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus.
”It shows you what half a striker can do in that Arsenal team,” Campbell told Football Insider.
”Nketiah has a bit of pace and can run in behind. In the second half (against West Ham) I thought he stretched the pitch really well.
”You wouldn’t say Eddie is a top-class striker. If Nketiah was on the market, he is not one of the strikers the club would be going for.
”Arsenal need to upgrade that position. As good as Nketiah is, he is not the answer.
”We need two strikers. We are talking about a Nunez, Osimhen or a Jesus. Nketiah didn’t score against West Ham despite the fact he had chances. The other three would have scored and that is the difference.
”No disrespect but Nketiah is not the answer. He is a fox in the box but he is not the answer. He needs to play games.” – Metro
Online Reporter