Mikel Arteta To Hold Contract Talks With Arsenal After Transfer Window

Mikel Arteta will hold talks with Arsenal over extending his contract once the transfer window closes next week. Arteta's current deal with the Gunners expires at the end of this season and the Spaniard is keen to extend his stay in north London. Ahead of Saturday's trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League, the 42-year-old revealed his future should be resolved once the club's transfer market business is concluded. "The focus has been on the transfer window. We had quite a lot of things to do and discuss. We are on it and we will take care of that in the right moment," Arteta told reporters on Friday.

When asked if talks would occur after the transfer window shuts, Arteta replied: "Yeah.

"I am very grateful first of all for where I'm sitting and the people I work with every single day because it's really difficult to find that harmony, trust, belief and alignment in the vision.

"It's something I always mention because I believe we still have an unbelievable time ahead of us. It's very exciting and I am very excited about it."

Arteta is focused on bolstering Arsenal's squad before discussing his own future, but he refused to be drawn on a reported 32 million pound ($41 million) move for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.

Amid claims Arsenal are on the verge of signing the Euro 2024 winner, Arteta said: "I cannot talk about any player that's not with us. There's still time in the market.

"Both ways. For all the managers, for all the teams here. You can see it's getting very busy.

"The full focus is on the players that we have at the moment, the big match we have at Aston Villa and that's all."

Arteta is braced for "surprises" to happen during the final week of the transfer window, which shuts on August 30.

But he said