Mikel Arteta tipped for shock exit if Arsenal lift trophy

December 4, 2025 Oliver Obel

Arsenal’s title challenge has dominated most of the conversation around north London this season, but a different storyline surfaced this week one that has little to do with tactics or league tables and everything to do with what happens next for Mikel Arteta.

The club’s 2–0 win over Brentford, reported by The Guardian as another composed performance under pressure, kept Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City. Goals from summer arrival Mikel Merino and winger Bukayo Saka underlined how comfortably the team handled a match that might have troubled them in past seasons.

A season shaped by near-misses

Arteta’s tenure since 2019 has reshaped the squad and the club’s expectations, though the past three seasons of finishing just behind the champions have created an unusual mix of progress and impatience.

As TEAMtalk noted recently, those near-misses have amplified the significance of this campaign not just for supporters but also for the front office as they map out the manager’s long-term role.

Yet the latest debate about Arteta’s future didn’t start inside Arsenal at all. It began with comments from former midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

Petit speculates on Arteta’s next chapter

Speaking to Snabbare, Petit said he believes Arteta may reflect differently on his future if this season ends with a major trophy.

“Mikel Arteta could be tempted to come back to Spain, especially to a club he knew when he was very young,” Petit said. He suggested that winning silverware could prompt Arteta to conclude that, after almost seven years, “I’ve done what I came to do with Arsenal.”

Petit went further, highlighting Barcelona where Arteta came through the academy as a potential destination. He never broke into the senior squad there, but Petit argued the combination of heritage, stature, and lifestyle could be compelling.

“If Barcelona knocks at your door,” Petit said, “you will think, ‘Barcelona is one of the greatest clubs in the world. I’ll be back in Spain, and the lifestyle is good for my family.’”

Context behind the speculation

To be clear, none of this has come from Arteta himself. In fact, the manager signed an extension last year running through 2027 with an option for an additional season.

And according to TEAMtalk, the lack of renewal talks this year is primarily logistical the club has focused on transfers, with both sides expecting negotiations to resume in the summer.

Barcelona’s situation also adds a layer of complexity. The club has cycled through managers quickly in recent seasons and faces ongoing financial constraints, meaning hiring any new coach let alone one under contract in the Premier League would require careful planning.

What comes next

For now, Arteta appears fully invested in the title run-in. Arsenal have several challenging fixtures ahead, and any discussions about his future are likely to wait until the season’s dust settles.

Still, Petit’s remarks have injected an unexpected thread into an already dramatic season: if Arsenal finally lift the trophy they’ve been chasing, could that very success open the door to a new chapter?

Sources: Snabbare, TEAMtalk, The Guardian.