Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is the greatest manager in Premier League history based on one key metric, a new study has found.
The Spaniard has been at the helm at the Emirates since 2019 and has the Gunners in a title race for a second successive season this term.
Arsenal’s 1-0 victory at Man United last Sunday meant that the battle with Man City will go down to the wire, with the North London side hoping City slip up in their two remaining games.
But the Financial Times has found that Arteta has already got one over on his old boss Pep Guardiola in terms of his side’s achievements relative to the club’s wage bill.
Arsenal paid players and staff a total of £235million in 2022-23 – and the data shows that the club’s owners are getting the best possible return on that investment.
Arsenal’s finances – the Premier League’s biggest overachievers?
The research analysed every Premier League club’s points per season tally relative to what would be expected based on their wage bill.
When comparing actual points to expected points using this metric, Arteta came out on top.
He was found to have overachieved by 15.1 points per season, more than Guardiola in second place with 12.7.
The Spaniard also trumped a whole host of Premier League greats, such as Alex Ferguson, Jurgen Klopp, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
Analysis: How much have Arsenal spent under Arteta?
Arsenal’s wage bill has remained steady with Arteta in charge. That is in contrast to some of their peers in the so-called ‘Big Six’.
The most the Gunners have spent on wages in a single season during his tenure was £238m in 2020-21, compared with a low of £212m the following campaign.
Last season’s £235m outlay will likely rise when they release their accounts for the current campaign, factoring in performance-related bonuses and the arrivals of high earners like Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.
But a conservative estimate of £280m would still put them well behind Man City (£423m), Chelsea (£404m), Liverpool (£373m) and Man United (£331m).
Their wages-to-turnover ratio meanwhile is lower than any other Big Six side club besides North London rivals Spurs.
Under Arteta’s stewardship, Arsenal have spent nearly £660m on player signings.
Their net spend over that period has been the third highest in the Premier League, behind Chelsea and Man United.