Mikel Arteta 'May Not Be at Arsenal' Next Season with Another Premier League Title Collapse
As the Gunners stagger through a defining run-in, Alan Shearer issues a blunt warning — fail again, and Arteta is gone. We examine the mounting pressure, the tactical questions, and what comes next.
Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC — where the pressure on Mikel Arteta has never been greater. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
It is the same film, the same agonising climax, and for an increasing number of Arsenal supporters, the same ending looks inevitable. With the 2025–26 Premier League title race entering its most critical phase, Mikel Arteta's future at the Emirates Stadium is being questioned at the highest levels of football punditry — and this time, the questions feel more urgent than ever before.
Legendary striker Alan Shearer delivered the clearest verdict yet on the BBC's The Rest Is Football podcast, stating bluntly that if Arsenal fail to win the Premier League title again, Arteta may not be in the dugout next season. "If he doesn't win the league he might not be at Arsenal," Shearer said. "After the chances they have had to win it and they have been second." Coming from one of English football's most respected voices, those words carry enormous weight.
The Wolves Wound: When History Repeated Itself in Stoppage Time
The flashpoint that reignited the debate over Arteta's future came midweek when Arsenal travelled to Molineux to face a Wolverhampton Wanderers side languishing at the foot of the Premier League table. Arsenal led 2–0, with goals from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie. A comfortable win looked certain. Then, in chaotic stoppage-time fashion, Wolves scored twice to earn a stunning 2–2 draw — leaving Arsenal's lead at the top reduced to just five points, with Manchester City holding a game in hand.
The consequences were immediate and damaging. If City win that game in hand, the gap closes to just two points. And then, crucially, the two sides still face each other at the Etihad Stadium in April — a game that could define the entire season. For Arsenal fans, it was a horrifying sense of déjà vu. Their club has led the Premier League at various points across each of the last three seasons, only to ultimately finish runners-up each time.
If he doesn't win the league he might not be at Arsenal. After the chances they have had to win it and they have been second.
— Alan Shearer, The Rest Is Football Podcast
According to Opta's supercomputer, Arsenal still hold an 80.92% chance of winning the title — down from 85.81% before the Wolves draw. They are still favourites. But mathematics and football are two very different beasts, and Arsenal fans have learned not to trust early-season odds.
A Tactical Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
The debate around Arteta's future would be simpler if it were purely about results. But the criticism runs deeper than that. A significant portion of the Arsenal fanbase — and several high-profile pundits — have taken aim at the style of football being played under the Spaniard this season. Where early Arteta sides were lauded for their dazzling, high-tempo attacking football, the current Arsenal are widely seen as pragmatic, defensive, and at times, painfully cautious.
Sky Sports analysis highlighted a striking tactical pattern: Arsenal have begun to sit deep and defend their leads rather than press for more goals, exposing themselves to late collapses. The numbers from Opta back up the frustration — Arsenal have taken an average of 117 minutes to restart games from corners, the longest delay in the division. They also have the longest average time between restarts at corners, clocking in at 44 seconds per set piece. Critics argue this obsession with slowing the game down has killed their attacking momentum and left them vulnerable when opponents are pressing for a result.
Micah Richards, speaking alongside Shearer on the podcast, drew a sharp contrast between Arteta and his former mentor Pep Guardiola. "You have a manager who wants to protect [Arteta] and a manager who wants to win [Guardiola]," Richards said. "When Arteta first started at Arsenal, the football he played was sensational — the passing, the speed from back to front." The implication was clear: something has changed, and not for the better.
The Spending Question: Backed Like Few Others, Delivering Like None
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of Arteta's tenure — for those who wish to defend him — is the sheer level of financial investment made by the club on his watch. Only Manchester United and Chelsea have outspent Arsenal in terms of net spend during Arteta's tenure. The Gunners have invested in the region of £650 million on new signings, assembling a squad packed with international talent including Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres, and others.
The return on that investment — in terms of silverware — has been underwhelming. Arteta's only major trophy remains the 2020 FA Cup, a triumph built largely on the squad inherited from his predecessor Unai Emery. Since then, two Community Shields (which many fans do not regard as serious silverware) and a string of near-misses in the Premier League represent the sum total of his achievements in knockout competitions. An elimination by Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024–25 Champions League semi-finals made the previous campaign a particularly bitter one to stomach.
📋 Arsenal's Title Near-Misses Under Arteta
- 2022–23: Led the table for most of the season; pipped by Manchester City in the final weeks.
- 2023–24: Runners-up again — finished just two points behind City after drawing at the Etihad when a win was needed.
- 2024–25: Second place once more, behind a resurgent Liverpool under Arne Slot — despite widespread expectation that this was Arsenal's year.
- 2025–26: Leading the table in February but wobbling dangerously — only two wins from seven league games in recent weeks.
Squad Management Under the Microscope
Beyond the broad tactical picture, specific questions are being raised about Arteta's use of his squad. Sky Sports analysts pointed out a paradox: Arsenal have made 60 lineup changes in the Premier League this season — more than all but six clubs — yet certain players appear chronically overworked while others are barely used. Midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Jurrien Timber rank first and second among Arsenal players for minutes played across all competitions, raising concerns about burnout during the season's most critical phase.
The lack of attacking variety in Arteta's selections has also drawn fire. Against Wolves, Arteta fielded a front three of Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, and Gabriel Martinelli — all players who need space to run into — while pushing Bukayo Saka into the number 10 role as the only small-space specialist capable of unlocking a deep defence. The previous month's defeat to Manchester United saw the opposite problem: a highly technical front three of Trossard, Saka, and Gabriel Jesus that lacked a physical presence in transition. The inconsistency in his attacking selection is becoming a pattern that opponents are beginning to exploit.
Arteta has had to adapt his football to get results — the problem is, if he doesn't win the league at the end of it, he will be judged for the football he plays.
— Micah Richards
What the Legends Are Saying
The weight of opinion from Arsenal's own legends is beginning to shift. Thierry Henry, widely regarded as the greatest player in Arsenal's history, appeared on The Overlap last season to discuss the situation at length, making clear that the standard of performance and results must improve. Emmanuel Petit, meanwhile, took an even more radical view — predicting that Arteta will eventually leave Arsenal altogether to manage Barcelona, a club with whom he has deep personal connections from his playing days. Petit suggested that former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, currently impressing at Como in Serie A, could be a potential successor at the Emirates.
Paul Merson was even more visceral in his reaction to the Wolves collapse, admitting that the result had "half-scared" him that Arsenal would bottle the title yet again. Merson was particularly alarmed by Arteta's downbeat, almost resigned post-match interview, which he felt betrayed a lack of the fighting mentality needed to deliver in the final stretch of a title race.
The Fans' Verdict: Patience Has Run Out for Many
Among the Arsenal fanbase, the mood ranges from anxious to outright furious. Online forums and social media platforms have seen a significant shift in the past fortnight, with a growing number of supporters who had previously defended Arteta now calling for a change. The core complaint is not simply that Arsenal have not won the league — it is that they appear to be making the same mistakes, showing the same fragility, and collapsing in the same fashion every single year.
One supporter captured the mood perfectly: "Here we go again. Another crunch run, another collapse. A 2–2 with Wolves after losses to United and limp draws with Forest and Brentford — it's the same movie on repeat." Another Gooner, writing from Canada, was even more blunt: "I said it in April 2023 and I'll say it again today — Arteta is simply not good enough to deliver the Premier League or the Champions League. The mentality isn't there." The emotional post-match confrontations between Arsenal players on the pitch at Molineux only added fuel to the fire, suggesting that the dressing room tension is rising alongside the points pressure.
Arteta's Own Position: Determined But Under No Illusions
To his credit, Arteta has not shied away from the scrutiny. In his post-Wolves press conference, the Spaniard described himself as "incredibly disappointed," acknowledged that Arsenal have failed to maintain their required standards over recent months, and called on his players to "stand up" and show character. He spoke of the need for self-reflection, accountability, and unity — while cautioning that emotional reactions in the immediate aftermath of dropped points must not be allowed to damage team cohesion.
There are also structural factors at play that complicate his position. Arteta has fewer than 18 months remaining on his current contract, and according to reports in The Mirror, there have been no talks yet about an extension. Arteta is known to view contract discussions as a distraction during the season, and his previous extension came only in the final year of his deal. But the combination of a shrinking contract and a faltering title challenge is the kind of environment in which uncertainty tends to breed and damage a squad's confidence.
Could Arteta Still Win It? The Path Forward
Despite everything, Arsenal are still favourites. A five-point lead with a significant chunk of the season remaining is not a crisis — it is an opportunity. If Manchester City fail to win their game in hand, Arsenal can reassert control with a strong performance at Tottenham this weekend. If Arteta can find a way to unlock his attacking talent more consistently — reducing the reliance on the defensive block-and-counter approach — there is still every reason to believe this squad is capable of finishing the job.
The Etihad clash in April looms as the season's defining moment. Arteta's tactical choices in that game — whether he goes for the win or seeks to avoid defeat — will say everything about how much he and the club have learned from the 2023–24 season, when Arsenal accepted a draw at the Etihad and ultimately finished two points behind City. With the pressure now truly at its peak, the manager who once transformed Arsenal from a mid-table club into consistent title challengers faces the defining test of his managerial career.
Arsenal still have their destiny in their own hands — but only if they're brave enough to reach out and take it.
— Trendy News Analysis
The Verdict: What Happens If Arteta Fails Again?
The consensus among pundits and analysts is becoming harder to ignore. A fourth consecutive Premier League runner-up finish — following enormous financial investment, a squad built specifically to win, and repeated near-misses — would make it extremely difficult for Arsenal's hierarchy to justify keeping Arteta in post. The goodwill built during his transformation of the club from also-rans to title challengers is real, and should not be dismissed. But in football, goodwill only stretches so far when trophies are absent.
Multiple reports suggest that Arsenal's ownership has made clear internally that the Premier League title is the benchmark for Arteta's continuation. The Kroenkes backed him through the initial rebuilding phase, through the disappointments, and through the enormous spending programme. What they have not yet received in return is the prize that justifies all of it. Another near-miss would test even the most patient board of directors.
If Arteta does depart — whether by mutual agreement or dismissal — the names most frequently linked with the role include Fabregas, should he continue his impressive work at Como, as well as other elite European coaches who would view Arsenal as one of the most exciting projects in world football. The club's infrastructure, fanbase, financial power, and squad depth make it an attractive destination for any ambitious manager. But replacing Arteta would be far from straightforward. Finding someone who understands the club's culture, can build on the foundations he has laid, and possesses the tactical edge to finally deliver that elusive Premier League title would be one of the most complex appointments in modern football.
Final Thoughts: A Manager, a Club, and a Season Hanging in the Balance
The story of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal is, at its core, a story about the cruelest gap in football: the space between being very good and being the best. Arteta has made Arsenal very good again — arguably great on paper. But in the relentless, unforgiving theatre of the Premier League title race, very good is simply not enough. Not when you have spent close to a billion pounds. Not when you have led the table for long stretches across four consecutive seasons. Not when the fans in the stands and the pundits in the studios are all waiting, season after season, for the moment that never quite arrives.
February 2026 finds Arsenal at their most vulnerable and their most pivotal crossroads simultaneously. The title is still there to be won. Arteta's job is still there to be secured. And Arsenal's long wait — stretching back to the Invincibles of 2003–04 — is still there to be ended. The question that now hangs over the Emirates is simple and devastating in equal measure: will this finally be the year it all comes together, or will history simply repeat itself one more time?
One thing is certain. If Arsenal fail to win the Premier League title in 2025–26, the conversation around Mikel Arteta's future will not be a conversation for long. It will be a decision.
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