If anyone doubts Mikel Arteta’s status as No 1 at Arsenal in the week he committed his future to the club until 2030, just ask Win the dog. The chocolate labrador who played a starring role in the celebrations when Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions in May has become part of the family at the training ground in Hertfordshire since being introduced by Arteta in May 2023. Kai Havertz, David Raya and Mikel Merino, who issues commands in Spanish and has spoken about spending time with Win when out for three months with a foot injury, are particular favourites.
But, according to sources close to Win, a therapy dog trained not to bark, there is no contest when it comes to her preferred human: Arteta. The manager is understood to have taken Win home for Christmas last year, having been instrumental in her arrival a few days after his side had finished as runners-up to Manchester City for the first time. Cuddly replicas are available in the club shop.
The real version spends most days at Arsenal’s training centre, with her primary carer a full-time member of staff based there. Ominously for the rest, the Spaniard promised on Wednesday, when he signed a new four-year contract understood to be worth more than £20m a season, that this “is only the beginning” of what Arsenal hope could be a trophy-laden dynasty under his leadership. The length of deal was significant given that it would take Arteta, who will mark his seventh anniversary in the job in December, past a decade at the helm – even if he still has some way to go to match Arsène Wenger’s record of almost 22 years in charge.
Wenger’s first day was 30 years ago last week and he quickly assumed control at the club. The influence of Arteta, made Arsenal captain by Wenger in 2014, has grown steadily since he was appointed after a stint as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. Arteta, upgraded from head coach to manager in September 2020 having won the FA Cup six months after replacing Unai Emery, has seen various executives depart as his power has increased.
The 44-year-old, who became the second-youngest manager after José Mourinho to win the Premier League, has a direct line to the co-chair Josh Kroenke and is able to exert a major say over most big decisions – on and off the pitch. Arsenal’s announcement this week that they had decided against a major expansion of the Emirates Stadium came after Arteta is believed to have expressed concern over the disruption that would be caused by a temporary move to Wembley or elsewhere. The owner, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), is also thought to have been put off proposals to increase the capacity to 70,000 owing to the cost, despite agreeing a record $4bn (£3bn) deal to buy the MLB side Los Angeles Angels last month.
That did not stop KSE from making Arteta the best-paid manager in the Premier League with a hefty salary increase from the £10m plus £5m bonus for reaching the Champions League that he agreed in 2024. Only Atlético Madrid’s Diego Simeone is thought to earn more. Arteta is understood to have had the final say in the decision not to pursue interest in Malick Fofana after the Belgium forward was offered in the final days of the transfer window because he wanted to ensure the 16-year-old phenomenon Max Dowman would not be denied opportunities.
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