Mikel Arteta has been promoted from head coach to manager of Arsenal.
It was announced on Thursday night the Spaniard would now be first-team manager as opposed to head coach, while Vinai Venkatesham will take the mantle of chief executive having previously operated as managing director.
Appointed in December to replace Unai Emery, Arteta also took the title of head coach – the role which Arsenal introduced after Arsene Wenger’s near-autonomous 22-year spell as manager came to an end in 2018.
Mikel Arteta's job title has changed from head coach to first-team manager.— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 10, 2020
“The last nine months have probably been the most challenging nine months in Arsenal’s history – and we’ve been around for 134 years. Despite all of those challenges, Mikel has been driving this football club forward,” Venkatesham told Arsenal Digital.
“He has lifted the spirits and lifted the energy here at London Colney and with Arsenal fans all across the world. He is doing an absolutely phenomenal job.
“The other thing that’s clear is that right from the day he walked through the door, he was doing much more than being our head coach. So we’re going to be changing his job title going forward. He’ll move from head coach to be the first-team manager. That’s recognition of what he’s been doing from the day he walked in the door, but also where we see his capabilities.”
