Arsenal to offer Mikel Arteta bumper new deal amid speculation of Manchester City job - Reports

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will reportedly be handed a new contract by the club as they aim to put off Manchester City's interest.

The Spaniard was appointed as Arsenal's head coach in December 2019 after Unai Emery was sacked, signing a deal until 2023.

City manager Pep Guardiola's contract at the club also runs out in 2023, so the 39-year-old has emerged as a potential successor.

He was, after all, an understudy to the former Barcelona coach for over three years at City after retiring from his playing career.

However, Arsenal aren't ready to let Arteta go, and in order to pre-empt any move to the Etihad, they want to tie him down to a new deal that will also raise his wages.

The Daily Mail has reported that the former midfielder is happy at the club and is thereby open to extending his stay at the Emirates.

Last month, after Arsenal's match against Leeds United, Arteta sounded doubtful when asked about his future at the club.

Speaking to the press after their 4-1 victory, he said:

"No, we haven’t discussed anything like that. I think we have many other priorities at the moment that are far more important than that. I don’t know [if we will have talks in the summer], really I’m not thinking about that."

"I’m just trying to get the best out of the team, trying to cope with all the situations that we are facing at the moment. Things will happen naturally.”

Things have changed since then and Arsenal have now shown serious intent in keeping the Spaniard at the club beyond 2023.

Sky Sports reports that a new contract will be offered to Arteta before the end of the season.

Arsenal haven't finished above eighth position in the Premier League in each of their previous two seasons under him. However, they currently sit sixth in the table after producing a massive upturn in form. The Gunners are two points adrift of the Hammers in fourth place with two games in hand on their East London rivals.

---

Arsenal's future is secured, Manchester City quite unsure about Guardiola

With Arteta all set to commit a long-term future to Arsenal, Manchester City are still coy about Guardiola. Given his incredible success at the club, he's most likely to continue beyond next year, and the Spanish coach even hinted that he might extend.

Ahead of their game against Southampton, Guardiola told the press:

"I’m not good enough to think far away. My future always depends on results. So, play Southampton [on Saturday], rest a little bit then [carry on] and at the end of the season we’ll see what happens."

“My decision [when to leave City] will be taken with the club. They gave me everything so I cannot betray them. Or do anything wrong to them. That would not be nice. Together we took decisions for me to come here and to extend the contract two times [until now] and it will be the same [in future]: it depends how they feel about me, how I feel myself in the club."

“Now I never think for 24 hours a day what is going to happen far away. In football the end of the season is far away.”

Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side could possibly go 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a win at St. Mary's tonight.