Arsenal sign Arteta to 2030 deal and target £21m Mexican teen Gilberto Mora in January

Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract with Arsenal that will keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2030, the club announced on Wednesday, with the Spaniard set to become the highest-paid manager in the Premier League following Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City last summer.

Arteta, 44, joined Arsenal as head coach in late 2019 and led the club to their first league title in 22 years last season. According to BBC Sport, the new deal represents an increase on his previous salary of £10m per year, plus an additional £5m in bonuses. The extension means Arteta will surpass a decade in charge at the club, making him comfortably its longest-serving manager in the modern era.

Alongside the contract news, Arsenal are also moving to strengthen their squad in January. The Gunners have emerged as serious contenders for 17-year-old Mexican attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora of Club Tijuana, with TEAMtalk reporting that Arsenal have already made contact over a potential deal.

Mora turns 18 this month, which is significant: FIFA regulations that blocked international transfers for minors no longer apply once he reaches that age, opening the door for a January move. He is contracted to Tijuana until 2029 and carries a release clause in the region of €20–25m (£16.9–21.1m).

The teenager made history at the recent World Cup, becoming Mexico’s youngest-ever player at the tournament, and has already earned 13 senior international caps. Real Madrid and Barcelona are also credited with interest, but TEAMtalk reports that Arsenal are prepared to move more aggressively than their Premier League rivals and other European clubs to secure his signature.

On the pitch, Arsenal return to Premier League action after the international break with a home fixture against Leeds United. Arteta’s side sit second in the table despite a 3-0 defeat at Brighton in their last league outing, having won seven of their matches across all competitions this season. The squad faces some fitness concerns ahead of the Leeds game, with Ezri Konsa, Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis all racing to recover from injuries sustained during the Nations League.