Arsenal reach breakthrough in the most important contract situation at the club

Arsenal are keen on addressing several important contract situations during the international break.

Discussions with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are of high priority, while talks over renewing Jurrien Timber’s deal are at a more advanced stage. The situations of David Raya and Kai Havertz are also viewed as a priority for the coming months.

But the most important contract of any at the club has now been resolved.

Mikel Arteta agrees new Arsenal contract

Mikel Arteta has agreed a new contract with Arsenal, BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel reports. His existing deal expires at the end of this season, but fresh terms have been agreed that will take him into at least his tenth year at the Emirates following his arrival in December 2019.

No specific length has been confirmed, but the new contract will include a pay increase from his current salary of £10million per year plus an additional £5million in bonuses.

Arteta gave the clearest possible signal of his intentions last week. “They don’t have to worry about any of that because I want to be here. I’m extremely happy and I feel very grateful to work with the people I work with.”

And now it is done. It follows the pattern from his previous renewals, where both extensions were agreed in September, during the first international break of the season.

Arsenal have their manager tied down in a deal which will see him into a decade-long tenure with the Gunners. The project continues. And after the Brighton defeat provided a bump in the road, this is exactly the kind of positive news the club needed heading into the October restart.