Mikel Arteta Biography: Net Worth, Salary, Family, Life Style and Managerial Stats

Since he arrived at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has been a topic of great discussion in the footballing world. Although at times causing divisive opinions among the fans and experts, the young Spaniard has undertaken one of the most demanding jobs in world football and has certainly brought about a change at one of the top English clubs, which was at one point reserved to mid-table mediocrity.  

With a tenure spanning over 5 years and counting, Arteta has had both ups and downs and has had good, bad, and mixed reviews during his time at various clubs. However, he has shown the ability to steady the ship at any club and has become somewhat of a specialist in helping teams get out of a rut. 

Today’s post will be all about Mikel Arteta’s’ journey so far. 

Mikel Arteta Bio

Since his humble beginnings in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain his journey so far reflects his focus on the grind and effectiveness. Starting his managerial career as an assistant coach at Manchester City shortly before moving to Arsenal as the head coach, going full circle from when he was a player for the North London club until his retirement. 

Over time he has increased the expectations of the fans at Arsenal, making them genuine contenders for European and domestic trophies. Having the reputation of rebuilding a team and guiding them back to safety, some fans believe that he has done a tremendous job at the club.

By and large, Mikel Arteta has come a long way, bringing Arsenal back to some semblance of their former glory as one of the best teams in England and a force to be reckoned with on the European stage. However, for all his work so far, is he the man to take the North London club over the line? Only time will tell.

Mikel Arteta’s Net Worth and Salary 

Mikel Arteta is said to be one of the second highest-paid managers in the Premier League with a salary of around £10 Million annually. His net worth is estimated to be around £20 million.

Mikel Arteta’s Early Life and Club Career

By and large, there is very little that is known about the life of the Spanish manager and his upbringing. That said, it is known that Arteta grew up alongside former player and now Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, and the two dreamed of playing for Real Sociedad. However, following a trial with FC Barcelona, Mikel Arteta was one of the few talents who earned a professional contract with the club. 

However, due to a lack of playing time and quite frankly a ridiculously stacked midfield at the club, Arteta’s future lay away from the club. As a result, the Spaniard was sent to French club Paris Saint-Germain on an 18-month loan in 2000. By and large, Arteta performed well, surrounded by a host of top-tier talents from across the world. However, following his 1 and a half-season with PSG, the player eventually returned to Spain and was sold to Rangers in the Scottish Premier League for a £6 million transfer fee in 2002. 

Overall, one could say that his time in Scotland was quite fruitful as the player developed his game and learned how to play in a more physical setting. Notably, Arteta had quite a few impactful moments at the club which included him scoring in his first-ever Old Firm derby as well. Moreover, with Arteta among the ranks, the club completed the Scottish treble as well, securing the Scottish Premier League title, Scottish Cup, and Scottish League Cup. That said, the following season would see the club finish trophyless, and as a result, completed a €5.2 million to Real Sociedad. 

However, things went far from ideal as Arteta, who was initially meant to play alongside his childhood friend Xabi Alonso at his childhood dream club, saw himself frozen out of the squad whilst Alonso had departed for Liverpool in the Premier League. After a dismal half-season at Sociedad, Arteta was signed by David Moyes at Everton, initially on a loan deal before signing for a £2 million transfer fee in 2005. In his six years at the Merseyside club, Arteta enjoyed some of his best days as a player, with frequent man-of-the-match displays earning him the Everton Player of the Season award in his first season and the Players’ Player of the Season awards for two consecutive seasons. 

Moreover, he would even be named the Premier League’s ‘Midfielder of the Year’ by Sky Sports, pipping Cristiano Ronaldo to the award. Then in 2011, to see out his final years as a player, Arteta joined Arsenal for a transfer fee of £10 million. In his five years at Arsenal, Arteta put in some key performances once again, which saw him lift the 2014 FA Cup, 2014 FA Community Shield, and 2015 FA Community Shield with the club. 

Mikel Arteta’s playing style and tactics

The Spanish manager is famous for his 4-2-3-1 formation which allows his side to create attacking overloads and allow for more two-on-one opportunities for his wide players to try and combine with the fullbacks. That said, his system also implements the use of an inverted fullback, usually off the left to help with the build-up play from deep or become an option near the final third, where one would expect to see an attacking midfielder.  

Moreover, Arteta’s sides show a good balance of building out from the back and shifting the ball quickly across the opponent’s box, before executing a more intricate combination to try and find the net. Similarly, his side has also shown the ability to their opponents on the break, utilizing rapid fast players with midfielders and fullbacks with an eye for a pass over the defensive lines of the opposition. 

Mikel Arteta Managerial Career

Following his retirement and subsequent venture into management, Mikel Arteta seemingly completed his coaching badges and was then presented with several options. One was to take up a role as a coach in the Arsenal Academy offered to him by Arsene Wenger, the second, was to reunite with his former teammate Mauricio Pochettino as a member of the coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur, and the third was to be part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff over at Manchester City. 

Eventually, Arteta chose to go to Manchester City, reuniting with Guardiola who was once a senior of his, during his time at FC Barcelona. Notably, Arteta had also stepped in as coach of the team during instances where Guardiola had received touchline bans. However, most importantly, Mikel won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and two EFL Cups during his time at Man City. Eventually, in December 2019, when Arsenal parted ways with Unai Emery, there were expectations that Arteta would be one of the candidates looked at, and after many rumors, was confirmed as the head coach of the North London club.

 The same season, Arteta received heaps of praise as he bested his mentor and former team Manchester City 2-0 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, with the first goal being one of the most remarkable team goals of the season. Eventually, he would also beat Chelsea in the final. As for his league form, Arteta finished his first half-season with the club in 8th, followed by another season in 8th, then 5th, and then 2nd in two consecutive seasons, taking things to the final day in the 2023-2024 season.

Whilst his trophy haul at the club remains limited in these five years, Arsenal have somewhat returned to Europe’s elite and boasts some of the best players in the world among their ranks. With the club firmly sitting second for the third season in a row, expectations are growing for the Spanish manager to deliver a major honor, especially after him having spent €791,800,000 during his time at Arsenal. Thus, whilst a certain section of the club’s fanbase remains fiercely loyal to the manager, others believe that the Spaniard is not the man to ultimately take them over the line and into the promised land.