Three clubs show ‘interest’ in Arteta as Premier League leaders Arsenal ‘shelve contract talks’

Mikel Arteta is attracting interest from a number of clubs with Arsenal leaving contract talks until the end of the season, according to reports.

The Gunners are having a brilliant season in the Premier League with Arteta guiding his side to the summit with eight matches to play.

Arsenal face West Ham on Sunday and could regain their six-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City after .

There were times last season where many pundits and supporters were having doubts that Arteta was the right man for the job – but he could now become the first manager to lead Arsenal to the title since Arsene Wenger in 2004.

And unsurprisingly that has not gone unnoticed elsewhere with Paris Saint-Germain taking a keen interest in the Arsenal boss’ contract situation at the Emirates Stadium.

With Arsenal doing so well this season, the Gunners hierarchy are keen to reward Arteta with a longer contract as he currently has just over two years left to run on his current deal.

The Sun claim that Arsenal have ‘shelved contract talks’ with Arteta until the end of the season ‘to avoid any distractions from the title race’.

PSG ‘are among the big European clubs monitoring Arteta’ as they ‘wait in the wings’ in case contract talks prove unsuccessful.

Arteta seems to agree with the Gunners’ stance on contract talks, he said recently: “Now is the appropriate time to focus on winning as many games as we can to try to achieve what we want.”

Christophe Galtier is likely to leave PSG at the end of the season and the Parisiens are on the lookout for a new coach, while ‘both Manchester City and Barcelona have a longer-term interest in Arteta’.

But former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor claims that Arteta has “plenty of time” and should stay at Arsenal for the forseeable future.

Agbonlahor told Football Insider: “I don’t think Arsenal can be considered Champions League contenders yet. That’s a while away. Real Madrid are in that bracket, every season.

“But there’s no reason why Arteta can’t make Arsenal contenders for that competition. The talk of him going to Madrid, I don’t see why he would want to go right now.

“Arsenal is his club. Dream jobs like Real Madrid, or Spain – that can wait for the future. He’s got plenty of time.”