Arsenal are set to offer Mikel Arteta a significant pay rise as the club prepares to reward the Spaniard for ending their 22-year Premier League title drought. Talks over extending Arteta's contract beyond next summer were paused during the title race, but are expected to resume after the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Arteta's current deal is believed to be worth around £10m a season plus a £5m Champions League bonus, but his new contract could see him approach the earnings of Atlético Madrid's Diego Simeone, reportedly the world's best-paid manager at €30m (£26m) a year.
Arteta, who became the second-youngest manager to win the Premier League after José Mourinho, has transformed Arsenal since his appointment in December 2019. The club's co-chairs, Stan and Josh Kroenke, have indicated there will be no complacency in the transfer market. While the £250m outlay of last summer is unlikely to be repeated, funds are available for a marquee signing. Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 19, is a target after breaking the record for most goals by a teenager in a Premier League season with 13. Bournemouth could demand around £80m for the forward, who has also attracted interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Arteta has made signing a forward a priority, with strong interest in Atlético Madrid's Julián Alvarez and long-term targets including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, Nico Williams, and Newcastle's Anthony Gordon. Gabriel Martinelli could be allowed to leave if a suitable offer arrives. In midfield, interest in Newcastle's Sandro Tonali may be revived, but Myles Lewis-Skelly's performances could alter priorities. Ethan Nwaneri, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Marseille, is wanted by Borussia Dortmund and others. Departures could include Christian Nørgaard and Gabriel Jesus, who is surplus to requirements with one year left on his £250,000-a-week contract.
Arsenal are also in talks to sign 16-year-old Leicester winger Jeremy Monga, the youngest goalscorer in Championship history, with a compensation fee likely. The club have already signed defender Jaden Dixon from Stoke and striker Evan Mooney this year.
