Control, culture... and champions? How Mikel Arteta transformed Arsenal as new contract confirmed | OneFootball

The manager has changed the club from top to bottom in five years

During the managerial merry-go-round this summer, it felt like every top club was looking for the same thing - a young and exciting coach to take them to the next level.

In Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have exactly that and it is why Thursday’s news that the club have tied him down to a new contract is a huge boost.

Since being appointed in 2019, Arteta has transformed the Gunners and turned them into serial title contenders.

For the past two seasons, they have finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League and each time the gap to Pep Guardiola’s side has shrunk.

Guardiola is convinced the Gunners will continue to fight City with Arteta in charge, remarking before the final game of last season how there are three certainties in his life: waking up, going to sleep and Arsenal being title contenders.

Mikel Arteta has transformed the club

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“With the age they have, with the manager they have, with the way they’re playing for the last two seasons, they will stay here for a long, long time,” he said.

Arsenal know the next step is becoming champions - and with Arteta at the helm they believe they will.

The Spaniard certainly has the tools to do so, as over the past few years the club has assembled a young squad that are coming into their prime now.

The same can be said of Arteta, who is still only 42, and it is easy to forget this is his first job in management.

The Spaniard has had to overcome so many obstacles during his early days with Arsenal to get to this point, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, fan revolt over a proposed Super League and mass redundancies at the club.

In one of his early team meetings, Arteta had the chairs in a room scattered all over the place and told the squad this symbolised the mess they were in

The biggest challenge of all, however, was changing the culture of the club - which was broken when Arteta arrived. Indeed, in one of his early team meetings, the Spaniard had the chairs in a room scattered all over the place and told the squad this symbolised the mess they were in.

Arteta has been at the heart of the rebuild, setting the tone for the whole club with his relentless work ethic.

It is rare anyone beats him to the training ground in the morning but, if they do, they may well find the Arsenal manager sat quietly in his office.

That is often how he likes to start his day, with Arteta making the most of the silence before hitting the ground running when players and staff arrive.

He craves control and nothing goes on at the club without his knowledge. On his first day, Arteta had been in the building barely five minutes before he was quizzing the analyst team about what cameras they had set up and if drones could be used to film training.

There has been plenty of upheaval during Arteta’s time, but Arsenal are now a well-run club with a harmonious dressing room and that is partly why he has agreed to stay.

After going through so much hardship to get the Gunners to this point, why would Arteta leave someone else to reap the rewards from his hard work?

There is also the fact Arteta has a genuine affection and bond for the club. He cares deeply about their success, perhaps too much at times, and hates losing, often blaming himself.

It is what drives him to go into such detail and means no stone is left unturned. Arteta even takes time out of his day to watch his opposing manager’s press conferences, just in case any piece of useful information can be gained.

That level of dedication has got Arteta this far and now the next step is for him to add more silverware.

Arteta craves control and nothing goes on at the club without his knowledge

One FA Cup is not enough recognition for the work Arteta has done and for all the skill he has shown in rebuilding Arsenal, this next phase is what can elevate his status to one of the best coaches in the world.

There are areas he must improve, such as rotating his squad more during busy parts of the season.

Arsenal should have aspirations of winning the Champions League as well as the Premier League, but they cannot go for both unless Arteta shares the minutes in a manner similarly to his mentor Guardiola.

Everything we have seen from Arteta so far suggests he will learn to do so and certainly those inside Arsenal are convinced they have the coach to end their now 20-year wait to win the Premier League.