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 even further ahead of Saturday's Premier League home fixture against Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta Commits to Arsenal Until 2030

Arteta has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Arsenal until June 2030, with the club reaffirming its long-term commitment to the manager following his success in ending a 22-year wait for a Premier League title last season — the club's first top-flight crown since 2003-04. Arteta first took charge of the north London club in December 2019 and has overseen one of English football's most dramatic resurgences.

What Odegaard Said

Writing in his captain's column in Arsenal's official matchday programme, the Norwegian midfielder expressed the squad's collective excitement at the news. '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.

The extension is expected to provide continuity as Arsenal seek to build on their recent title success, with Arteta widely credited for transforming the club's culture, recruitment strategy, and on-field identity.

Brighton Defeat Acknowledged

Odegaard did not shy away from addressing Arsenal's poor showing in their most recent outing. '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,' he 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, striking a characteristically direct tone.

Returning to the Emirates

Arsenal had played four consecutive away games before the international break, and Odegaard stressed that the team was eager to return to home turf and repay the supporters who had followed them on the road. '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.

Odegaard also sounded a note of caution about the challenge Leeds would present, emphasising the need to be competitive from the opening whistle. '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,' he said, before signing off by thanking supporters: '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.'

What to Watch

With the Premier League title defence in full swing, how Arsenal respond at home to Leeds United on Saturday will be an early indicator of whether Arteta's renewed commitment has translated into a measurable lift in performance — or whether the Brighton result reflected deeper issues the squad must still address.