Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has agreed a new contract to keep him at the Emirates. It is a one-year deal and will be welcome news to many fans as the experienced midfielder is an important member of the squad.
Doubts had arisen over Arteta’s future as his old contract was left to expire and Arsene Wenger was supposedly close to bringing in Chilean Copa America winner Arturo Vidal.
Arteta was bought from Everton for £10 million in August 2011, having spent five and a half seasons with the Toffees. He made 209 appearances for the Merseyside club in this time and left at a time when he was a vital asset. He was immediately given Samir Nasri’s old number 8 shirt at the Emirates and made his debut for the club ten days later in 1-0 win over Swansea City.
Since then, the ex-Spain u21 player has made 135 appearances for Arsenal, bringing outstanding vision, passing, and tackling to the midfield.
His most recent appearance however, was on 26th November last year, when Arsenal beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home – but it wasn’t reason to celebrate for their captain as Arteta sustained a serious calf injury which saw him kept out for the season.
His new contract comes with him expected to be fully fit for the start of 2015/16, ready to compete for a place with Francis Coquelin and Jack Wilshere, as the Gunners are looking likely to lose out to Manchester United over the transfer or Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.
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