'He has to become a winner now.' Martin Keown sends a message to Arteta

Martin Keown has delivered a strong message to Mikel Arteta ahead of the upcoming season, stressing that the time has come for the Arsenal manager to secure silverware. While Arteta has made significant strides in transforming the culture and competitiveness of the team, Keown believes success must now be measured in trophies rather than progress alone.

Since taking charge in late 2019, Arteta has overseen a remarkable shift in the environment at the Emirates, shaping Arsenal into genuine challengers for the most prestigious honours. Under his guidance, the club has re-established itself among Europe’s elite, reaching the semi-final stages of the Champions League last season, while also achieving a second-place finish in the domestic league. These achievements highlight improvement, yet they also raise expectations that the side must now go one step further and lift silverware.

Keown’s Call for Silverware

Despite acknowledging the progress under Arteta’s tenure, Keown has emphasised that the next logical step is turning potential into tangible success. Speaking to Talk Sport, he explained, “I think they [Arsenal] need to win trophies. You know, not to win trophies since 2020…Manchester United still managed to win more trophies than Arsenal since both those two great managers [Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger] have gone.

“One trophy for [Mikel] Arteta is not enough. He needs to put some trophies in the cabinet. So, that is an overriding factor; he has to become a winner now.”

His comments reflect the sentiments of many supporters who believe that consistent improvement must ultimately be validated by collecting major honours. Keown’s remarks serve both as recognition of Arteta’s achievements and as a reminder that results and trophies define football at the highest level.