Mikel Arteta admits there is “uncertainty” over his future at Arsenal as he approaches final year of his contract. Despite this, the Spanish manager insists that uncertainty “motivates him” and “keeps him hungry to go again” in Premier League.
Arteta spent five years as a player at Arsenal. He returned as manager in 2019. He won FA Cup in his first season but has not secured any major trophies since. However, Gunners have shown impressive performances in the last two Premier League campaigns. They finished five points behind Manchester City in 2022-23 and just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side last season.
Guardiola is expected to end his sensational spell at Etihad next summer. Arteta acknowledges the uncertainty over his own future at Arsenal. When asked whether he sees himself at Arsenal beyond 2024-25 season Arteta told CNN: “In football it’s about today. And what we’re going to do today.”
“What you hopefully can do tomorrow. In this profession having this uncertainty is quite helpful. At least it motivates me. Keeps me on my toes and it keeps me hungry to go again. I think we have great relationship with everybody at football club. I’m really happy where I am. Things will take care of themselves.”
Arteta’s Ambitions for Arsenal’s Premier League Title Challenge
Arteta plans to oversee another Premier League title challenge next season and says his squad is desperate to end Arsenal’s 21-year wait for league title. “We will look to go again”
Arteta said. “All the margins. Squad-wise. The process that we have at football club, our methodology especially on how we can make our players better. More competitive, more consistent and cause them to raise the level. Be better than the previous season. I think our focus has to be with what we have already in house. ‘How can we be better?’ There are margins. And there are players that can still develop and be better. And that’s the objective that we have.”
Arteta emphasizes the ambition within club stating, “Every decision we’re going to make is to be better without losing who we are and everything that is taking us in position that we are now as a football club. As a team. The ambition is there. The players, the staff. You can sense it. They want much more. They want to start lifting trophies and that’s the next step.”
Despite Manchester City being early favourites to win Premier League again. Arteta remains focused on improving Arsenal’s performance. “We have to better them. We are closer. When you see all the metrics we are right there. We’ve been the best team in league in almost every metric.”
“But there is a margin there that somehow we didn’t control well enough and league is gone and that’s the level. It’s very challenging but it’s very inspiring to have team with such quality and such consistency over last seven nine years. To try to be better than them. And our focus is, is how we can improve.”
