Arteta First Of Many To Extend Arsenal Contract

Gunners captain Mikel Arteta is rumoured to have signed a one year extension to his Arsenal contract taking him to June 2016 according to his agent Inaki Ibanez (source - footmercato.net & various twitter).

Spaniard Arteta joined Arsenal from Everton in 2011 for £10m and has been deployed as Arsenal's deepest midfielder in most games and has excelled in his current role due to his intelligence, reading of the game, talent to intercept play and calm ability on the ball. Last season Arteta captained Arsenal to their first trophy in almost a decade with a 3-2 win over Hull in the FA Cup.

Currently injured and likely to spend his 33rd birthday in rehabilitation the club captain is one of the most experienced players in the team and a prime candidate for a starting spot when fit. There were doubts over his future in this Arsenal team but Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has squashed the persistent rumours that Arteta had played his last game in the red and white of Arsenal.

Wenger clearly feels Arteta still has something to offer the team with this new contract, sticking with his policy of one year extensions for over 30s, and this has stoked fears that he will not enter the transfer market to recruit a new defensive midfielder. Time will tell if Wenger plans to make reinforcements in Arteta's position beyond the capture of young Bielik who could learn much from his sage elder.

Arteta's contract extension is the first of a number of planned negotiations which include Francis Coquelin, Olivier Giroud, Joel Campbell and Theo Walcott. Wenger has already stated he believe Coquelin will sign a new contract soon which further fuels the rumour Wenger's transfer business this January is done.

Joel Campbell's agent reported his client would sign a contract extension before joining Villarreal on loan in a move the club have denied is part of the Gabriel Paulista signing.

Olivier Giroud is the next senior squad member in line for a new deal with talks ongoing with Theo Walcott's representatives with the England speedster only having 18 months left on his existing contract and the club hope it will be more straightforward than when they last convinced him to 'sign da ting'.

What do you make of the news? Are you happy Arteta has signed and what do you think about other negotiations? Get involved in the discussion and leave a comment below.

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