Mikel Arteta has committed his future to Arsenal by signing a new contract until 2030.
It is obviously entirely deserved, and the timing, given the chaos unfolding at Manchester City, could not be better for Arsenal.
And while the focus right now is on the immediate future, winning another couple of league titles and even a Champions League, it’s worth considering what could happen by the end of the extension.
Mikel Arteta and Arsene Wenger
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Because if Arteta does indeed leave in 2030, however much we might not want to think about it, Arsenal could face a structural problem that we have seen in this league before. One that still haunts that same club more than a decade later.
Mikel Arteta could leave Arsenal with an ageing squad
When Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013, he did so with a Premier League title in his hands in what felt like a perfect ending. However, he left successor David Moyes with an ageing squad that hit a wall instantaneously the following season.
Rio Ferdinand was 34. Nemanja Vidic was 31. Patrice Evra was 32. Michael Carrick was 31. Players who had been exceptional for years suddenly declined at the same time, leaving the club with high earners on long contracts and difficulty rebuilding. United have spent much of the decade since trying to recover.
We’re a long way away from that, and Arsenal will surely plan to deal with such a scenario, but when you look at the current squad and Arteta’s key players, there is a parallel there.
Hypothetically, Arteta leaves in 2030, and most of the current squad is still intact, it will look something like this — Odegaard 31, Rice 31, Gabriel 32, Havertz 31, Raya 35, Guimaraes 32, Saliba 29, Saka 28. That is a core that has grown up together, achieved together and, crucially, aged together.
Now of course, there’s no guarantee all of these players will still be playing at the Emirates. And we haven’t taken into account the likes of Max Dowman, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Marli Salmon who will have hopefully established themselves as key players. But there are absolutely similarities there, and the club should be emphatic in making sure they are well set to continue competing post-Arteta.
What Arsenal must do differently to avoid the same fate
This summer, the club reverted to a transfer approach focused on bringing in ‘win now’ type quality in Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, and pursuing Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez. Right now, they are right to do so. There’s a clear window for Arsenal to capitalise and claim several league titles given the uncertainty at the other top clubs.
But going forward, they may have to adapt that. Andrea Berta’s recruitment model needs to ensure that the next few summers are used to sign players for the next generation, rather than doubling down on established names approaching their 30s.
Arteta may need to show the same willingness too. His legacy will ultimately be measured in trophies, of course. But to leave an even greater legacy, he needs to leave knowing the next manager is inheriting a squad that can compete in the following seasons.