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On the eve of his sixth anniversary as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his future at Arsenal is directly connected to winning major honors.

Reflecting on: From Appointment to Present

The Spanish coach was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win within months. But, that initial silverware remains his sole major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded upon being asked about staying beyond 2027. “However, it is about today. And a lot of things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to warrant that continuation.”

He will mark the landmark with a match versus Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal played just after his role was made public.

Present Challenges

With trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal face being knocked off the summit in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This situation arises notwithstanding Arteta overseeing a squad that has been plagued by more than a century of fitness issues since the start of last season.

Arteta is tied down by a year and a half left on the contract he inked in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver promptly.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, highlighting the daily requirement to validate his position. “My belief is that a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you address the media, how you enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support from the hierarchy, while singling out the players' commitment as the key factor. “At the end, the critical component are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, hunger for knowledge and give their all to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The squad approaches the upcoming game coping with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for several weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Even with the availability issues and the high-stakes environment, Arteta believes the club's “focus and dialogue” are completely changed from when he initially took over.

He pointed to the squad's displays as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Examine the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that shows the level we are at.”

In closing, the manager stated, “That is a level that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our aim is to achieve more lofty ambitions. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”