Arteta’s new tough contract policy seems to be working

Contracts are formal and legally binding agreements, and in professional football player contracts are one of the most difficult aspects of running a club.

The Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta arrived at the club in December 2019 to replace fellow countrymen Unai Emery, who was sacked after a poor run of results. Since Mikel Arteta’s appointment, he has instilled a strict contract policy at the club alongside his playing style.

Before his arrival, Arsenal had situations where players ran down their contracts with the club whilst playing regularly before their departure on a free. Players like Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey come to mind.

Mikel Arteta implemented a strict policy whereby he doesn’t utilise players with a contract issue in important matches. It was basically a “Sign the contract or sit on the bench before being sold” policy.

Folarin Balogun was the first player to fall victim of this policy. The young striker had less than six months left on his contract and wanted to play for the club. Mikel Arteta refused to integrate him fully into the senior squad until he later signed a contract renewal.

This new policy from Mikel Arteta is working very well at the club and here are two reasons why:

1. Arsenal has a lesser amount of players with a short time left on their contracts. The players know that once it is time for renewal, they have to be decisive and choose whether to remain at the Emirates Stadium, or on the bench before another club makes a move for them.

2. The players performance do not drop off because of their contract status. Alexandre Lacazette is a prime example of this. The French striker has less than a year left on his contract and he has been used only once in the Premier League and twice in the Carabao Cup this season – in which he performed excellently.

Even though he isn’t playing regularly as he used to, he cannot allow his performances to drop because he knows he’ll be dropped totally if he doesn’t sign a contract extension and perform when called upon.

Ghost Mode

13 Comments

  1. The top 11 with 5 of the new players starting is doing well right now. But how much better would we be if the clean out had started 2 seasons ago?You say Artea is tough on contracts. Really?
    Under Arteta
    Ozil had a no play season and then left on a free.
    Mustafi no play season left on a free.
    Socritis no play season left on a free.
    All paid full salary every minute.
    Willian paid 15mill to leave.
    Bellerin on loan, will leave for peanuts or a free.
    Torreira loan again will leave for peanuts or free.
    Kolasinac still here will leave for free.
    Elneny will leave for free
    Cedric will leave for free.
    Mari will leave for free.
    Nketiah will leave for peanuts or free.
    Lacazette has cost 92million will leave for free.
    Aubameyang has cost 110 mill will leave free.
    Xhaka? Was leaving but is back.
    Guendouzie? Saliba? Mavropanos? Runarrson?
    And you say the club is contractually a success?
    Ok Karen 🙂

    1. We don’t need to give Laca a new contract. Signing Laca at 52m and a weekly wages of 182k was a big mistake. He doesn’t score enough

      If you check he’s never scored more than 15 goals a season for a striker that cost so much.

      French national team knows much about that even Giroud is better than him that’s why he doesn’t get a look in.

      He should run his contract and leave. He’s not a good striker that can take us to Top 4.

      We should’ve bought Tammy Abraham to replace him.

    2. like I’ve said all along, the “process” should have started when Arteta first entered the building, not a year and a half later, only once his selfish short-cut failed to yield the requisite results…btw FF your seemingly constant contradictory refrains haven’t gone unnoticed

      1. Another comment that lacks any kind of perspective.
        It’s seems some people just want to have an excuse to insult Arteta.

          1. Cheers…David is a car-carrying Arteta Apologist who clearly doesn’t understand that much of the critical comments directed towards our manager were the direct result of self-inflicted wounds, not made up baseless banter

            1. And I am getting sick of you baiting other readers. I deleted 6 of your comments last night that just insulted other readers without even mentioning football.
              This is your Very Last Chance, so sort yourself out or you are gone tonight

  2. So true bro. Arsenal seems to think whether or not a player is deemed good enough for a contract extension and not that we need to get a payment for this player if and when he decides to leave and decide this way in advance. Rubbish system and then talks of whether or not the club has money.

  3. Or one could say we are biting our nose off to spite our face. Ostracising Lacca, when he personally has done nothing wrong when our main striker is misfiring is ludicrous.

    1. As a manager u should no who yr best starting 11 is, weather contract ends or not, winning the game is more important than anything, if a player gets game time because he produce, doesn’t matter how long he has on his contract, he will feel that he has a future & will stay when offered a contract extension

      1. Correct, it is another player being used poorly at the detriment of the team. Laccas hold up play and battling qualities are far better than Aubas, he brings other players into it and when we are struggling to score, he is left out. Are we better up front without him?

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors