Arsenal’s new Arsene Wenger! Will Mikel Arteta match longevity of iconic boss? Invincibles star Ray Parlour makes future prediction

As things stand, Arteta is only tied to terms through to the summer of 2027. He has been at the helm since December 2019, taking in 350 matches that have delivered 211 victories and a win ratio of 60 per cent.

Wenger completed his reign at 57 per cent, but did enjoy 1,235 games in the dugout spread across 22 memorable years. When he walked away in May 2018, few in north London expected to see a manager of his ilk again.

The legendary Frenchman delivered three Premier League crowns, seven FA Cup wins and reached the Champions League final in 2006 - suffering defeat to Barcelona. Arteta can go one better in that department if his class of 2026 can see off Paris Saint-Germain in this season’s European showpiece.

Arsenal also stand on the brink of restoring domestic dominance, for the first time since the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Co went unbeaten across the 2003-04 campaign. Fresh terms for Arteta are being mooted as the Spaniard has made the Gunners perennial challengers for major trophies.

Quizzed on whether Arteta could emulate Wenger and spend well over a decade at Emirates Stadium, Gunners great Parlour - who was speaking to GOAL on behalf of 10bet, who offer punters sign up offers - said: “He's got a young enough squad, so it's an old cliché again, but the first one is always the hardest trophy to win. But if they can win two big trophies…

“I was desperate for them to win the League Cup because that's just to show them that you've won a trophy now as a group of players. But if you can win the two big ones in the Champions League and the Premier League, that surely is going to give him lots of confidence and belief next season.

“I'm sure he would stay for a long time. He knows Arsenal inside out. He knows the club. I think the connection with the fans and the players is very good at the moment.

“We haven't won the Premier League since I played - 22 years ago. So if you can win the Premier League this year, it's a massive boost for everybody at the club. I think he could stay for a few years if he's successful this season.”

Arteta has said when discussing his own future: “I think the manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. That is how you react, how you talk here, how you go in the dressing room, the message that you send, how much the players follow you.”

He recently added when asked about following in the footsteps of Wenger - a man that he spent five years working under as a player between 2011 and 2016: “I always said that you need support, I said it before. From the ownership and the board, it's great. At the end, the most important one is those players. You open that door, you confront them, you talk to them and they are like this [surprised] or they are like this [sleeping].

“For six years, I have seen just players with a level of attention and desire to learn and give the maximum to the team. That is what keeps me in this job. Nothing else. And, obviously, winning a lot of football matches that, percentage wise, I think is quite high. That is the only way. If not, you cannot survive in this environment.”

It has been suggested that contract talks with Arteta will be put on hold until the summer, in a bid to avoid any unnecessary distractions at a crucial stage of the season. The expectation is that an extension will be thrashed out.

For now, the Gunners are focused on a Premier League clash with relegated Burnley on Monday that could restore their five-point lead over Manchester City. Arsenal will complete their top-flight schedule away at Crystal Palace on Sunday, before then tackling PSG in the Champions League final on May 30.

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