Arsenal is setting its sights on becoming a dominant force in football, leveraging the success of last season as a platform for future growth, according to CEO Richard Garlick.
This announcement came shortly after the club confirmed a new long-term contract with manager Mikel Arteta, extending his stay until 2030.
Arteta remarkably led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years last May. The team also reached the Champions League final, narrowly losing to PSG in a tense penalty shoot-out, all while setting a record revenue for the club.
However, Garlick emphasised that Arsenal is not content to rest on its laurels.
“We cannot stand still. It’s not enough to just pat ourselves on the back and say: it’s done. This is the beginning, not the end of our journey. We want to push on and harness the confidence this success has given us,” Garlick asserted at the Leaders Week conference held at Stamford Bridge.
The CEO outlined a broader ambition for the club.
“We want to dominate football in the coming years. We have a really strong position to achieve this, but we need to keep looking for that edge that allows us to stay ahead. We must be bold,” he added.
Garlick noted that after clinching the championship title, the pressure on the team increases as every opponent will be eager to take down the reigning champions.
Arsenal ranked seventh in Deloitte's football club revenue standings for 2026, trailing only Manchester City among English clubs. However, the London club's financial position continues to strengthen.
The Gunners reported record revenues of €822 million for 2025, reflecting a 15% increase from the previous year, and anticipate further growth.
Trust in Arteta
Following Pep Guardiola's departure from Manchester City this summer, Arteta is now the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been in charge at Arsenal since December 2019.
Garlick believes the long-term trust in Arteta is one of the club's key advantages.
“This gives us a competitive edge. Mikel is the only active manager who has won the Premier League. Other traditional top-six clubs have experienced changes at the helm, while we have a coach who has been with the team for a significant time, allowing him to build and develop it progressively,” Garlick noted.
According to the CEO, Arsenal now possesses a solid foundation on which to continue building the squad and strengthening its position.
Currently, Arsenal sits second in the Premier League table, having earned 12 points from five matches, with their next fixture against Leeds at Emirates Stadium.
