Mikel Arteta Agrees New Long-Term Arsenal Contract With Significant Pay Rise

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reached a final agreement on a new contract that will extend his tenure past a decade, alongside a significant pay rise and performance incentives. Meanwhile, the club is also working to secure long-term deals for key players including Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, and David Raya. Both of these contracts have been on the club’s agenda for over a year now, and the hierarchy will be relieved to have finally sorted the pair of them. However, the work doesn’t stop there for Andrea Berta and Co.

Arteta Secures Long-Term Future and Substantial Pay Increase

Mikel Arteta is set to commit his long-term future to the North London club after months of discussions. The Spanish manager has struck a new deal with the club’s board to extend his contract, confirming both parties’ commitment to the project they began years ago. Talks over a renewal have rumbled on for months, and they have now edged towards a resolution. The agreement is expected to keep Arteta at Arsenal for no less than ten years since he took charge in December 2019. He will also pocket a significant pay rise under the new terms, up from his current £10 million per year, alongside a further £5 million in incentives and bonuses. Earlier this month, “BBC Sport” revealed that an agreement was imminent, and the latest word is that the two sides have indeed reached a final agreement over the new contract.

There is no need for them to worry about any of these matters, because I want to stay here. I am extremely happy and feel very grateful to work with the people I work with.
Mikel Arteta

Declan Rice and Core Squad Contracts on the Agenda

With Arteta’s situation resolved, attention turns to the playing squad. Declan Rice is expected to follow suit and sign a new five-year deal, which will keep him at the Emirates until 2031. However, the work doesn’t stop there for Andrea Berta and Co. The Gunners have a number of other important contracts to address in the next six to 12 months, with difficult decisions needing to be made.

Assessing Defensive Pillars and Salary Adjustments

Defender Jurrien Timber’s current deal expires in the summer of 2028, so a verdict on his next contract needs to be reached before the end of this season. It would be reasonable for Arsenal’s hierarchy to be somewhat sceptical about handing Jurrien Timber a bumper new contract due to his recent injury history. The Dutchman spent an entire season on the sidelines with an ACL tear, while he also essentially didn’t play at all between March and September of this year. That said, the Gunners shouldn’t overindex these setbacks. For almost two full seasons, Timber was fit every single week, and when he played, he was magnificent. Establishing himself as one of the best right-backs in world football, the defender is a core defensive pillar in Arsenal’s backline, while he’s steadily improved as an attacking force in recent times.

The 25-year-old is in line for a major pay rise, and this is primarily why he needs a new deal. Currently earning £120,000-a-week, this places Timber as the 16th-highest earner in Arteta’s squad – a salary which certainly doesn’t reflect his importance to the team. The likes of Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Ben White and Mikel Merino all take more money home than Timber, despite all arguably filling squad roles.

Sunderland v Arsenal FC - Premier League 2026/27 — Photo: GOAL

Like Timber, David Raya’s wage doesn’t reflect his role in Arteta’s squad. Not only is the shot-stopper the Gunners’ starting goalkeeper, he’s also one of the most pivotal players at Arsenal, and one of the best goalkeepers in world football, yet his £140,000-a-week contract makes him the 14th highest earner on the books at the Emirates. His deal is also up in 2028, meaning it’s time for Arsenal to either cash in or pen him down for the foreseeable future. Given his standing as one of the best in his position on the planet, there is no world where the Gunners opt to cash in, while Raya is seemingly happy with remaining in N5. The World Cup winner only just turned 31, meaning he has several years ahead of him at the highest level. A new four or five-year deal would certainly be reasonable.