It’s official… Mikel Arteta has some new arsenal…

The 37-year-old Spanish professional football coach and former player has agreed to become Arsenal‘s new manager and will sign a three-and-a-half-year deal as soon as the paperwork is finalized, according to ESPN.

The club hopes to announce his appointment on Thursday and his first game will be the Premier League test against Everton on Saturday at Goodison Park, where he played between 2005 and 2011.

As previously reported, Arteta was the only candidate the club wanted to replace Unai Emeryand take the place of interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg.

Talks between Arteta and his former club, whom he played for between 2011 and 2016, have gone on since Sunday and a final agreement was found on Wednesday.

His final interview with Josh Kroenkeon Tuesday went very well. The Manchester City coach got reassurances on the direction of the club as well as a transfer budget.

It will be Arteta’s his first experience as manager of a club’s first team after three-and-a-half years working alongside Pep Guardiolaat City.

Arteta, who will be under contract until June 2023, is now working on building his coaching staff. Ljungberg should be part of it, as should City coach Rodolfo Borrell, sources said.

Arteta will say farewell to City after their Carabao Cupgame at Oxford Unitedon Wednesday evening where he will be on the bench alongside Guardiola.

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola, who has been a friend of Arteta’s since they were 15, has encouraged him to take the job.