Mikel Arteta is the new manager

Former Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta has agreed a three-and-half-year contract as Arsenal Football Club's new head coach.

The ex-Gunners captain will succeed former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who was sacked last month following a poor run of form.

Arteta will be stepping into his first managerial role following the move and said he was ready for the challenge after returning "home" to his former club.

The 37-year-old Spaniard told Arsenal's website: "This is a huge honour. Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"We need to be competing for the top trophies in the game and that's been made very clear to me in my discussions with Stan and Josh Kroenke (owner and club director, respectively) and the senior people from the club.

"We all know there is a lot of work to be done to achieve that but I am confident we'll do it.

"I'm realistic enough to know it won't happen overnight but the current squad has plenty of talent and there is a great pipeline of young players coming through from the academy."
Arteta played more than 100 games for Arsenal, until he retired in 2016.

The Spanish footballer joined Manchester City's coaching team immediately after hanging up his boots, serving under Pep Guardiola's successful dynasty in the north-west.

Arsenal's 3-0 loss to City at the weekend cemented the need for the club to find a permanent replacement for Emery.

The ex-Everton midfielder Arteta was alongside Guardiola as he witnessed the demolition of the Gunners at the hands of his former employers.

They currently sit in tenth place in the Premier League table, as close to the relegation zone as they are to the top-four Champions League places.

Interim boss and fellow former Arsenal player Freddie Ljungberg has won just one of his four Premier League games in charge, while the club are on a run of only one win from their last 12 fixtures.