Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal was enough to earn Arsenal a huge victory over Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Englishman has only recently returned from injury but found the back of the net for the second successive game, having also netted against Fulham on Saturday.
Saka’s goal earned the Gunners a 2-1 aggregate victory over Atletico, booking their place in the final in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, later this month.
Now, Arsenal will turn their attention back to the Premier League, with a game against relegation-threatened West Ham United coming up.
Ahead of that game, however, it has emerged that Arsenal have a plan in place for manager Mikel Arteta.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the north London club are planning to offer Arteta a new contract this summer.
Arteta has guided Arsenal to their first Champions League final since defeat against Barcelona in 2006 (Photo: Associated Press/Alamy)
Arteta’s current deal with the Gunners is set to run until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, but Romano claims that those in charge of the club are keen to tie him down long-term and are therefore preparing to offer a new deal.
Having taken charge of Arsenal back in 2019, the former Everton midfielder has guided his side to second-placed finishes in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons.
The Gunners are well on course to go one better this time around, though, as they sit five points clear of second-placed Manchester City with just three games remaining.
In total Arteta has won 214 of his 348 games in charge of the London side, having previously worked as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City.
Romano suggests that talks had already been planned for this summer, regardless of whether or not Arsenal are successful in their pursuits of the Premier League and Champions League.
While Arteta himself is currently focussed on a pivotal few weeks for his side, the Spaniard is said to be looking forward to discussions.