Mikel Arteta has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal that will keep him at the club until 2030 and make him the highest-paid manager in the Premier League.

The Spaniard’s new deal, announced on Wednesday, runs until the end of the 2029-30 season.

It represents a significant upgrade on his previous terms and rewards the 44-year-old for leading Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years last season.

Arteta’s new package is reportedly in the region of £15 million a year in basic salary, with performance bonuses that could take the total closer to £20 million.

That figure places him clear of every other Premier League manager following Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City.

Arteta, who took charge in December 2019, has transformed the Gunners from mid-table underachievers into genuine title contenders and champions.

His win percentage of over 62 per cent is the best of any full-time Arsenal manager in the club’s history.

Speaking after the announcement, Arteta said: “It’s a privilege to commit my future to the club and to continue to work with exceptional people who want the best for Arsenal.

“We have already built a special bond and created memories that will last a lifetime, and what is so exciting is that this is only the beginning of what we can achieve together.”

Ronaldo issued a statement through several Portuguese media outlets, explaining his reasons for withdrawing from the current Portugal national team training camp and apologizing to Portuguese fans.

In his statement, Ronaldo said that as captain, he should be disciplined by the Football Association. After serving his suspension, he stated he was always ready to play for his country. This indicates that Ronaldo does not plan to voluntarily retire from the Portuguese national team in the near term.

Excerpts from Ronaldo’s Statement
The consequences of my actions must be evaluated and punished by the Football Association, and I understand the penalty should not be reduced. I am not just a player; I am the team captain, which is an aggravating factor. I have apologized, but I know that every action must have consequences. Anyone in football, including me, knows that regardless of individual status, the rules apply to everyone equally.

But when I think of the national team, what I really think about is playing. That’s what was on my mind the day I learned of my father’s death. I was at the national team training camp then, and I decided to stay until the next day’s match was over. I have done things for my country that I would never do for any club.

So, if my physical condition allows me to play and score for my club, then after my suspension ends, I will be ready, as always, to play for the national team and win.

The long-running legal saga between former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and Colombian pop icon Shakira has resumed, with the former couple returning to a Catalan courtroom to contest the transatlantic holiday travel arrangements for their two children.

The estranged couple appeared at the Court of First Instance number 18 at the Barcelona City of Justice on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

Despite the option to delegate the proceedings entirely to their respective legal teams, both Shakira and Piqué chose to attend the hearing in person.

Reports from the Spanish press described the atmosphere inside the courtroom as professional but undeniably tense, as negotiations between the two parties previously failed to yield a private settlement.

The current friction stems from the logistical realities of the custody agreement ratified following their separation.

The couple officially announced their separation in June 2022, eventually finalising an agreement in December of that year.

The settlement granted Shakira primary physical custody and permitted her to relocate to the United States. In April 2023, the singer moved to Miami, Florida, with their two sons, Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11.

Piqué retained the right to spend several days each month and the majority of the school holidays with his children.

Four years after their initial separation, the practical execution of that holiday schedule has prompted Shakira’s new legal challenge.

The singer has petitioned the judge to modify the existing visitation structure to ease the physical toll of long-haul travel on the minors.

Shakira argues that the children are currently shouldering the entire burden of flying between Miami and Barcelona during their short school breaks.

According to a statement from her legal representatives, Shakira is not attempting to reduce the amount of time Milan and Sasha spend with their father.

Instead, she is demanding a shared logistical responsibility. The Colombian artist has proposed that Piqué should occasionally travel to Miami during the shorter holiday periods, allowing the boys to remain in their home environment.

Her legal team maintains that eliminating consecutive transatlantic flights will prevent severe jet lag and protect the children’s academic, social, and family routines in the United States.