December 20, 2024 marks a significant milestone for Mikel Arteta as the Spaniard reflects on five years at the helm of Arsenal. Since being appointed as the club’s manager in 2019, Arteta has overseen a dramatic transformation both on and off the pitch, reshaping the squad and restoring the Gunners as credible contenders for major honors.
The FA Cup Springboard
Arteta’s tenure began in triumphant fashion, with Arsenal securing the FA Cup in August 2020 after just eight months under his leadership. The Gunners overcame Manchester City and Chelsea in the semifinal and final respectively, despite having limited possession. It was a victory that seemed to validate the early work of the young manager, becoming the first Arsenal boss since George Graham to claim silverware in his debut season.
Empowered to Enact Change
That FA Cup success saw Arteta’s job title change from head coach to manager, a seemingly minor semantic shift that actually reflected the increased authority and autonomy the club’s hierarchy were willing to grant him. As chief executive Vinai Venkatesham explained:
“That’s recognition of what he’s been doing from the day he walked in the door, but also where we see his capabilities. He is doing a great job of coaching the first team and that’s his primary responsibility, but there is so much more that he can bring and that’s why we’re making this change.”
Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal chief executive
This empowerment set the stage for Arteta to begin overhauling a squad that had been drifting in the years prior to his arrival. Concerns about the culture and standards within the dressing room would lead to Arteta sanctioning the departures of several high-profile players.
Reshaping the Squad
Backed by the club’s owners, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Arteta set about ruthlessly remodeling the Arsenal squad. Long-serving players like Mesut Özil and Shkodran Mustafi had their contracts terminated, while the likes of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sead Kolašinac were moved on. In total, nine players would depart after having their deals paid up, a costly but necessary process as Arteta sought to instill a new mentality.
The highest-profile casualty of Arteta’s cultural reset was striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon international was stripped of the club captaincy in December 2021 after a series of disciplinary breaches, eventually joining Barcelona on a free transfer just weeks later. It was a bold statement from Arteta, sanctioning the departure of the team’s talismanic forward.
Spending Big, Promoting Youth
As Arteta reshaped the squad, he also broke the club’s transfer record to recruit fresh talent. In the summer of 2021, Arsenal were the biggest spenders in the Premier League, with Martin Ødegaard, Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White among those arriving to bolster the ranks. The focus was on players aged 23 and under, a shift in strategy as the Gunners invested in potential.
Alongside the new signings, Arteta brought through a crop of exciting academy graduates. Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe were key figures in a revitalized Arsenal attack, their youthful exuberance and fearless approach symbolic of the team’s transformation under their Spanish coach.
Becoming Title Contenders
The 2022-23 season saw Arsenal emerge as shock title contenders. Saka and Ødegaard were the shining lights as the Gunners topped the Premier League table for much of the campaign. A thumping 3-2 win over Bournemouth in March 2023, sealed by substitute Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner, epitomized the new-found belief and resilience Arteta had fostered.
Ultimately, injuries would derail Arsenal’s title tilt, exposing a lack of squad depth as Manchester City overtook them in the run-in. Arteta had guided Arsenal back into the Champions League, but the next challenge was clear – adding more quality and depth to compete on multiple fronts.
The £100m Signing
Arsenal’s ambition and backing for Arteta was underlined emphatically in the summer of 2023, as they smashed their transfer record to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United. The £100m acquisition of the England midfielder was a seismic signal of intent. Supplemented by the arrivals of Kai Havertz and Jurriën Timber, it left no doubt that Arsenal were going all-in on delivering Arteta the tools to bring the biggest titles back to the Emirates Stadium.
The Next Challenge
For all the clear progress, Arteta is yet to Guide Arsenal to the one prize they covet above all others – the Premier League title. Defeat to Aston Villa late last season saw Manchester City pip them to the trophy, while Champions League elimination by Bayern Munich a few days later hinted at a need for more attacking depth. As he reaches five years at the helm, Arteta knows he will be judged on his ability to take the final step.
From winning the FA Cup to securing £100m signings and overhauling the squad, Mikel Arteta has already dramatically reshaped Arsenal in his first five years as manager. But the biggest tests still lie ahead as the driven Spaniard and a hungry Gunners side chase the game’s greatest honors. Arsenal’s evolution under Arteta has been striking – now he must deliver the silverware such progress demands.
