Insider shares Mikel Arteta reveal after record-breaking Arsenal deal: 'I know for a fact...'

Arsenal effectively had no choice but to hand an eye-catching £25million salary to manager Mikel Arteta as part of his new contract.

That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Spaniard is far more than a "cog" in the Gunners' machine.

The 44-year-old has penned a new deal to stay at the Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2030, with his new salary seeing him break the record to become the Premier League's highest-paid manager at the moment.

Wyness believes that Arteta is simply priceless to Arsenal, due to his extensive involvement at all levels of the club.

He delivered the club's first Premier League title in 22 years last term, and came within inches of an unprecedented double in the Champions League.

His team have established themselves as a dominant force in European football in recent years, and the boss has now received a substantial award for his side's progress.

Mikel Arteta heavily involved in Arsenal academy

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Arteta has taken a "personal hand" in helping to develop Arsenal's academy players in recent years,

The former midfielder has transformed the club since his arrival in the dugout back in 2019, and he is not just concerned with first-team matters.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained why he is far more than just a piece of the puzzle for the Gunners.

"When you look at Arsenal, you've got to look at a few things. You've got to think that Arteta isn't really a cog in the wheel. I think he's the whole operating system, so to speak," he said.

"If you were to look at the cost of disruption of getting rid of Arteta, or if he were to leave, that would be a real cost, a lot more than £25m. 

"Given the diamonds and all the young kids coming through the academy, that he has taken a personal hand in. I know for a fact he's been very involved in those sorts of areas, as well as building the squad. 

"So you've got that whole situation. Although as a chief executive, I don't like seeing a manager getting paid that much, that's the cost but still I understand it and so yes it's fair enough."

Arteta has just agreed '£50m' release clause

Wyness previously told Football Insider earlier this week that Arteta is likely to have agreed a "£50million" release clause as part of his new deal.

He feels that Arsenal will have wanted to protect their asset from interest from elsewhere, and will have added the clause as a result.

Wyness believes that Barcelona are the biggest threat when it comes to prising Arteta away from North London in the coming years, given that he came through their academy ranks as a player.

However, he does not expect that to be in the pipeline any time soon, with the boss perfectly happy at the Emirates right now.