Six years of Arsenal under Mikel Arteta: Can he take the crucial final step? | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has taken Arsenal to new heights as he reaches six years at the helm in north London, and has made the club his own through ups and downs.

Six years on from Mikel Arteta’s arrival at Arsenal, he has transformed a club that was languishing out of European football into title contenders. But 38 signings later and close to £1 billion spent, major silverware remains his white whale, and with every season that passes, the need to win a trophy grows ever more pressing. 

There’s two sides to every coin, but putting the questions of success aside there are a few key tenets that have underpinned Arteta’s time at Arsenal.

Out with the old, in with the…young 

Rome was not built in a day, and neither are title-winning squads. Although Arteta came to Arsenal very light on managerial experience, he made his mission clear from the very first press conference, saying: “I want people to take responsibility for their jobs and I want people who deliver passion and energy in the football club.

“Anyone who doesn’t buy into this … are not good enough for this environment or this culture,” he added, and he has been a man of his word. The only player that remains from his first squad and starting XI against Bournemouth in December 2019, is Bukayo Saka. Of the six signings he made in his first half-season, the only one still standing is Gabriel.

In his first full season, Arteta cleared out 20 players, either through loans or sales. Even through the controversial exits of Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arteta stuck to his “non-negotiables” and saw them out the door. Although it caused a period of instability that saw Arsenal fall as far as 15th in the league table, Arteta forged ahead.

He made space for incoming youngsters to play and develop in his system: Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith-Rowe from the academy, along with signings including Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale in 2021, all under the age of 23. 

He has continued this philosophy, creating pathways for academy graduates like Ethan Nwaneri, and Miles Lewis-Skelly, while focusing on recruiting players primarily under the age of 25. 

Super Mik Arteta

There is no way to underestimate the fundamental importance of Arteta himself at the heart of Arsenal’s rebuild, both within the club and externally. 

He arrived under the title of ‘head coach’ but this was quickly changed to ‘manager’ to give him a wider influence over internal operations. Every player that he has signed has praised his conviction to the project, with captain Odegaard reflecting: “He told me his plan, everything he was building towards. He knew exactly what needed to change at the club. 

“He told me all about these amazing young players in the squad – Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe. He told me how he wanted me to fit in and how I was going to improve. I got this strong feeling that he was onto something really special,” the Norwegian added. 

It’s not just the players, but also the fans that Arteta has converted to his mission. He has transformed the atmosphere inside Emirates Stadium, from the introduction of pre-match anthem ‘The Angel’ (North London Forever) by Louis Dunford to his praise for the Ashburton Army’s efforts to make the stadium a “fortress”. 

Transformed into title contenders

These things have taken time to rebuild, and it is not Arteta alone that has made this happen. It’s clear that he has had the backing of the higher ups at Arsenal, who did not sack him at his one-year anniversary when Arsenal were flirting with a relegation battle and who have let him spend over £900 million to rebuild his squad.

Every season since his arrival, Arsenal have kept improving. They reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2024/25 for the first time since 2008/09 and finished Premier League runners-up for the third consecutive year.

There is no doubt that Arteta needs to take the next step and show his team can win a title. But comparing the tired club he walked into back in 2019 with the reinvigorated machine operating in 2025, even the naysayers have to admit he has transformed it.