Arsenal’s owners the Kroenke family have confirmed plans to offer manager Mikel Arteta a new contract as an “utmost priority”.
Arteta’s current terms are due to expire at the end of next season but the club are optimistic of tying him to a new deal after he ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
“Keeping Mikel around is [an] utmost priority,” said co-chair Josh Kroenke, who runs the club alongside his father Stan.
“I think the good news for Arsenal fans worldwide is he’s enjoying the project, he’s enjoying being here and, from his time as a player all the way up until now, he’s an Arsenal man through and through.”
Arsenal’s title triumph completed a total transformation under Arteta and they have the chance to complete an historic double in Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Kroenke added: “If there is a singular person you can trace this all back to, I’m going to give 100 per cent credit to Mikel, his staff and the players. Those are the ones.
“As much as Mikel is putting together our tactics, the players have got to go play the games, they’ve got to go and win for you.”
Arteta has experienced highs and lows since his appointment, initially as head coach, in 2019, but he has always benefitted from a close relationship with the club’s owners.
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“There are times when Mikel and I have joked, ‘Leadership can get pretty lonely’,” added Kroenke.
“So during the tough moments is when I try to be there, as opposed to the really good ones, letting him and our other people know that it might feel like you’re alone at times, or you’re on an island or you’re going through this phase or this or that, but we’ve got your back.”
Emirates Stadium development planned
The Kroenke family, whose sporting portfolio includes the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and NBA outfit the Denver Nuggets, also confirmed their intention to develop and expand the 60,704-capacity Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal’s owners have expertise in the field having overseen the construction of the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, home to the LA Rams and LA Chargers, which opened in 2020.
Arsenal have worked hard to improve the Emirates Stadium atmosphere
“Richard Garlick [Arsenal’s chief executive officer] is leading those conversations on our end right now,” said Kroenke, who was speaking to selected media including Sky Sports.
“We have several new members of the board who are plugged into that, who do those operations for us in the States. They’re putting together a plan right now to renovate the Emirates.
“I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. My only regret being in my position at Arsenal right now is that I never got to experience Highbury.
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“We’re starting these exercises with some of our advisers. The Emirates has been an amazing stadium for us. I think we took it to a different level this year. I think that’s credit to Mikel and those players.
“But there’s some character that I want to make sure we’re preserving and bringing back to the ground as well. I think we can do that in a very elegant manner that’s really to the benefit of Arsenal.
“We do this stuff in the States in our facilities and our teams. We take great pride in it, so I think we have a chance to come over and really give the Arsenal supporters an elevated matchday experience from where they are right now.”
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