Arsenal are on the verge of handing Mikel Arteta a contract that would make him the highest-paid manager in the Premier League, with his new deal expected to be finalised before the upcoming season kicks off.

Talks between Arteta and the club have advanced considerably over recent weeks, with confidence growing on both sides that an agreement is within reach. Arsenal's owners, the Kroenkes, are said to be fully behind the move.

A salary that nearly doubles his current terms

Arteta's existing contract carries approximately 12 months to run and is valued at around £10 million per season. The proposed new deal would effectively double that figure, placing him on a package worth close to £20 million annually — equivalent to roughly £384,000 per week.

That level of remuneration would put him in the same bracket as Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City contract was reported to be worth around £20 million a year. Guardiola technically retains the status of the league's highest-earning manager until his departure from City is formalised on July 1, after which Arteta is expected to assume that position.

Xabi Alonso also among top earners

New Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso is also understood to be among the Premier League's highest-paid managers, with his current salary sitting at a level comparable to Arteta's existing terms.

Reward for a remarkable transformation

Arsenal regard the new contract as recognition of the transformation Arteta has driven since taking charge at the club in December 2019. The 44-year-old has built a record that now stands at a 60.03 percent win rate, and the club's hierarchy have long been determined to reward that progress and secure his long-term commitment.

With the deal edging towards completion, Arsenal appear ready to cement Arteta's place not only at the top of English football's managerial pay scale, but among the most handsomely compensated coaches in the world game.