Mikel Arteta has said uncertainty about his long-term future at Arsenal “keeps me on my toes”, but insisted he was focused on overhauling Manchester City after falling just short in the Premier League title race. Arteta has one year remaining on the contract he signed in May 2022 and is understood to have held talks about an extension after finishing one point behind City.
Those negotiations are thought to be nearing a conclusion but Arteta, who is keen to add firepower to his squad and is believed to have targeted RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, said he had been using the situation as motivation after missing out on the title.
“In football it’s about what we’re going to do today and what you hopefully can do tomorrow,” he told CNN’s Amanda Davies. “[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.
“We have a great relationship with everybody at the football club. I’m really happy where I am and things will take care of themselves.”
Reflecting on last season, Arteta said: “I’m a winner and it takes me a while when I don’t reach the dreams. We should be very proud of what we’ve done throughout this season, both in European competition and the Premier League. But that feeling of being disappointed and not having the Premier League in our hands is painful.”
With Newcastle reluctant to sell Alexander Isak and any deal for the Sweden forward likely to be too expensive for Arsenal to comply with profitability and sustainability rules, Sesko is understood to have been identified as a potential target. The Slovenia forward has a €55m (£46.8m) release clause that is reported to expire at the end of June, with Leipzig due €11m up front under the terms of his contract, which spreads the payment over five years.
Chelsea have also been linked with the 21-year-old, who scored 14 goals in the Bundesliga last season, and Sesko’s camp are believed to want his future resolved before Euro 2024 starts on 14 June. Eddie Nketiah could be sold by Arsenal to make way for him, with Fulham and Crystal Palace interested in signing the England forward.
Arteta, who revealed he had contacted Pep Guardiola to congratulate him for winning an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row, said Arsenal would “look again” at how they can improve. After spending more than £200m on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurriën Timber last year, he hinted it would not be a summer of big spending.
Our focus has to be with what we have already in-house,” Arteta said. “How can we be better? There are margins and there are players that can still develop and be better … [the players and staff] want much more. They want to start lifting trophies and that’s the next step.”
Arsenal have confirmed the departures of Cédric Soares and Mohamed Elneny after their contracts expired. The England Under-20 defender Reuell Walters is understood to have attracted interest from Rangers after rejecting a new deal.
