Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has signed a new one-year contract extension to end speculation regarding his future in a deal which may prevent Arsene Wenger from signing a new holding midfielder, the Mirror reports.
Arteta’s previous deal was set to expire this summer and given that he’s been injured since November, doubts emerged whether we’d offer him in a new deal.
At 33 years of age, the Spaniard is entering the twilight of his career but Wenger is certainly keeping faith in his elder statesmen by extending his current deal.
However, the Mirror suggests that Arteta’s new deal will likely prevent the boss from delving into the transfer market for a holding midfielder.
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Francis Coquelin’s emergence, coupled with Arteta’s presence may convince Wenger that we’re covered in that area of the pitch – a mentality which has come back to haunt us in the past.
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If we’re to challenge for the Premier League, sentiment must not sway Wenger’s decisions in terms of our playing squad. On too many occasions has the boss overestimated the quality of our squad and the results have been damning, with our league drought now stretching to 11 years.
Should Coquelin pick up a knock, Arteta has shown that he no longer possesses the physical qualities to cover that role.
A fight fourth may be beckoning if this news turns out to be true.
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