Arsenal desperate to renew contract of key figure amid interest from Manchester City and Barcelona - Reports

Arsenal are reportedly desperate to secure the future of Mikel Arteta amid interest from Manchester City and Barcelona (via The Boot Room).

The Gunners' boss has been an influential figure in leading the club's resurgence over the past few years. Since joining the north Londoners in December 2019, the Spanish tactician has overseen 230 matches across competitions.

During this stint, Arteta brought the club back into the UEFA Champions League, where Arsenal were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals this year. Further, the Gunners are challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title for the second season running.

Going into the final day of the season, the Cityzens have a two-point lead. Last time out, Manchester City clinched the trophy after chasing their title rivals for 248 days.

This report also suggests that Arteta himself is delighted that the club are backing him and the manager also shares a good relationship with chief Edu. His current agreement at the Emirates runs out in the summer of 2025.

This report further claims that the Cityzens are huge admirers of the former Everton man's work and see him as the long-term successor to Pep Guardiola. However, it looks unlikely that Arteta would consider a move elsewhere at the moment.

For now, his focus will be on defeating Everton on Sunday in the Premier League (May 19). The Gunners will be hoping Manchester City drop points when they host West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on the same day.

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Jorginho shares his opinion on Mikel Arteta's future at Arsenal

Jorginho in action

Arsenal midfielder Jorginho believes Mikel Arteta will remain at the Emirates amid discussions over the manager's future. Jorginho himself is set to remain with the Gunners till the summer of 2025.

Under the Spaniard, the Italian midfielder has played on multiple occasions at the base of midfield, allowing Declan Rice to play a more advanced Role. Speaking about Arteta's future, Jorginho said (via CaughtOffSide):

"I feel that he could stay way longer. I feel he feels good here and I honestly don't see him going. It is really important for the club for him to stay because with Edu and the board, the whole club, they created something special."

Since returning to north London as a coach, Arteta has helped his side win the FA Cup once and the Community Shield twice. This season, his team have won 34 of 51 games across competitions while losing 10.