When you take your team from also-rans to challenging for the biggest trophies on the continent, the wages follow.
How much money does Arsenal’s head coach make? Mikel Arteta’s contract details
When Mikel Arteta committed his future to Arsenal in September 2024, it was more than just a routine extension. It was a statement of trust, ambition, and, of course, a healthy pay rise. Most fans were in agreement given the team’s trajectory.
Where does Arteta sit in manager pay grade?
The Spaniard signed a new three-year deal that reportedly bumped his salary up to around £10 million per year (about $12.5 million). That’s a notable jump from his previous £9 million (c.$11.7 million) earnings, and reflected both Arsenal’s progress and Arteta’s growing reputation in elite coaching circles. From Pep Guardiola’s apprentice to his rival for major silverware.
So where does that place him among football’s managerial heavyweights? Respectably high, but not quite at the summit. Guardiola and Diego Simeone still dominate the pay scale, with salaries that stretch far beyond the $20 million mark annually. And then there’s the impact of the Saudi Pro League, tempting Simone Inzagi over from Italy with an eye-watering sum normally kept for the high-profile playing staff. Still, Arteta’s deal comfortably puts him in the top 10 worldwide.
Highest-paid managers in world soccer
- Simone Inzaghi — Al-Hilal — $28.1M
- Diego Simeone — Atlético Madrid — $25.4M
- Pep Guardiola — Manchester City — $25.0M
- Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain — $12.9M
- Mikel Arteta — Arsenal — $12.5M
- Antonio Conte — Napoli — $12.1M
- Luciano Spalletti — Juventus — $12.1M
- Carlo Ancelotti — Brazil national team — $10.1M
- Massimiliano Allegri — AC Milan — $10.1M
- Gian Piero Gasperini — Roma — $10.1M
Converted into US dollars (approximate):
What Arsenal are really paying for, though, is continuity. Since taking over in 2019, Arteta has reshaped the club’s identity, turning a drifting giant into a genuine contender again. His reaction to the new deal at the time said it all: pride, excitement, and a sense that there was still plenty left to achieve.
At the time of writing the Gunners sit atop the English Premier League and in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. Winning one or both would certainly justify the wages, I think most would agree.
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