London, Oct 10 — Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has said manager Mikel Arteta’s decision to extend his contract with the club has given the squad a significant lift, describing the Spaniard’s achievements as 'unbelievable' and backing the new deal to raise the team’s energy further.
Arteta has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Arsenal until June 2030, with the club extending its commitment to the manager following his success in ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last season.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s return to the Emirates Stadium against Leeds United on Saturday, Odegaard said the news of Arteta’s extension had generated excitement within the squad.
“During the international break we had the news that the boss has signed a new contract, and that’s given everyone here such a lift. What he’s done so far is unbelievable, so to see him committing to being here for even longer is a big push for everyone. For sure, it’s going to lift the energy even more,” Odegaard wrote in his captain’s column in Arsenal’s official matchday programme.
Arteta, who took charge of Arsenal in December 2019, has overseen the club’s resurgence and guided them to their first Premier League title since 2003-04 last season. The Spaniard’s extended stay is expected to provide continuity as Arsenal look to build on their recent success.
Odegaard also expressed his excitement about returning to home action after a series of away fixtures and the international break, while acknowledging that the team needed to respond strongly following their disappointing defeat to Brighton in their previous match.
“Our defeat to Brighton in our last game was so disappointing. We knew what to expect there; we knew what was required, but it was a really bad performance from us,” the Norwegian midfielder said.
“We were not good enough on the day; we didn’t play to our standards, and that’s what you get. We have to take that punch in the face, learn from it, make sure it doesn’t happen again and ensure it was a one-off,” he added.
Arsenal had played four consecutive away games before the international break, and Odegaard said the team was eager to return to the Emirates Stadium and perform in front of its supporters.
“We just have to come back stronger from it today when we play Leeds. We had a lot of away games last month, so it will be good to get back to the Emirates and play in front of our people,” he said.
The Arsenal captain acknowledged that Leeds would pose a tough challenge and stressed the importance of starting strongly and showing a marked improvement from the Brighton performance.
“We need to be on it from the first whistle and make sure that we show our true selves and a different version than the last game,” Odegaard said.
He also thanked Arsenal supporters for their backing during the team’s recent run of away fixtures, expressing hope that their energy at the Emirates would help the side secure the victory they were seeking.
"Thanks for your brilliant support over the last month or so – there was a lot of travelling involved for everyone, and we really appreciate it. We’re looking forward to hopefully seeing big energy at Emirates Stadium today and getting the win we are after," he concluded.