Mikel Arteta returns to Arsenal as new head coach | OneFootball

Former Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has officially been confirmed as the club’s new head coach.

Arteta comes in as the full-time replacement for Unai Emery, who was sacked at the end of November.

The 37-year-old has signed a contract until June 2023 and will take charge of first team duties from Sunday.

“This is a huge honour,” Arteta told the club’s official website. Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“We need to be competing for the top trophies in the game and that’s been made very clear to me in my discussions with Stan and Josh Kroenke, and the senior people from the club.

“We all know there is a lot of work to be done to achieve that but I am confident we’ll do it.

“I’m realistic enough to know it won’t happen overnight but the current squad has plenty of talent and there is a great pipeline of young players coming through from the academy.”

Arteta played 149 times during five seasons with the north London club before ending his playing career in 2016.

Since then the 37-year-old has been part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City.