A free agent has made one request to Arsenal after reaching out for talks to join them, with Mikel Arteta handed a potential opportunity to strengthen.
Arteta agrees new Arsenal contract as Tottenham game looms
A busy next few days at the Emirates Stadium has begun in excellent fashion, following the club’s announcement that Arteta has committed his future to Arsenal for the next thr
“I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next. I’m proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club,” said Arteta on his new Arsenal contract.
| Arsenal’s next five Premier League games | Date |
|---|---|
| Tottenham (away) | September 15 |
| Man City (away) | September 22 |
| Leicester City (home) | September 28 |
| Southampton (home) | October 5 |
| Bournemouth (away) | October 19 |
“I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we’ve already done together.
“Together with the players and everyone at the club, we are looking forward to the coming years, with our supporters, who have emotionally transformed the club and the team. Our supporters have transformed individuals and we are different now. You can tell that we are different and for me, that is down to them. We look forward to continuing the journey together.”
Arteta’s fresh terms include a bumper pay rise to around £288,000-per-week, making him one of the best-paid managers in the Premier League behind Man City boss Pep Guardiola, but the tactician has little time to celebrate.
It was the consensus that club captain Martin Odegaard’s ankle injury would have him sidelined for the next few weeks, but Arteta has since confirmed in his Arsenal press conference that won’t be the case, and he could even feature in the derby.
Adrien Rabiot makes one Arsenal demand after reaching out for talks
Despite the good news about Odegaard, their series of midfield absences still pose a serious threat to the Gunners. However, amid these tactical conundrums for Arteta, it is believed illustrious free agent midfielder Adrien Rabiot has approached them for talks.
The former Juventus and Paris-Saint Germain star would theoretically be a good stand-in for Odegaard, and at zero cost following his exit from Turin in the summer. Rabiot featured for France at Euro 2024 and made 31 Serie A appearances for Juve last season, scoring five and assisting three, so he remains a player of real quality despite being released.
Reports in the last week claim that Rabiot’s contacted Arsenal over joining them via his representatives, and GiveMeSport have an update on the matter.
The outlet writes Arsenal are informed that Rabiot’s demanding £220,000-per-week to join them or other suitors, with this one demand potentially stopping a Premier League move from coming to fruition.
This salary would make the 29-year-old one of Arsenal’s highest-earners, so a Bosman deal for the Frenchman won’t come cheap in that regard. His market value is still around £30 million (Transfermarkt), demonstrating Rabiot’s pedigree, and he’s been called an “extraordinary” player by Juve legend David Trezeguet.
