Mikel Arteta is preparing for the day he has to hang up his playing boots.

Currently undertaking his coaching badges, the Arsenal captain was put in charge of the u13’s at a recent training session at Hale End, Arsenal’s youth academy.

Out of contact in the summer there have been many reports that he is set to leave but the club are keen to get him to extend by at least one more year, something his agent claimed had already been done.

The session at Hale End is one of the components required for people taking their badges and we’ve seen many former Arsenal players return to the club to work with the kids as they follow the same path.

Speaking to the media at his press conference on Thursday ahead of the trip to Newcastle, Arsene Wenger confirmed that Arteta is back in training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a calf injury but is not expected to be ready for inclusion in the squad for at least another three weeks, the same timeframe given for Mathieu Debuchy as he continues his rehab after a dislocated shoulder caused by playing Stoke.