'A huge honor': New Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta targets silverware after joining the Gunners

New Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has targeted English football's top trophies as he stated his intention to take the London club back to the top of the English game.

Former Gunners midfielder Arteta was officially unveiled as Arsenal's new boss on Friday after agreeing a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League side.

And the Spaniard, who left his position as Manchester City's assistant manager – but has never actually managed a club of his own – said he plans to elevate the club from their relatively lowly position of 10th in the Premier League to once again challenge for the top prizes in English football.

"This is a huge honor. Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world. We need to be competing for the top trophies in the game," the former Arsenal captain said in a statement.

"We all know there is a lot of work to be done to achieve that but I am confident we'll do it.

"I'm realistic enough to know it won't happen overnight but the current squad has plenty of talent and there is a great pipeline of young players coming through from the academy."

Arteta received a glowing endorsement from the man he replaced in the Emirates Stadium hotseat, with former boss Unai Emery saying the club had made a "good decision" in appointing Arteta as his successor.

"He really is prepared to make that next jump," he told the BBC.

"I do believe this is a good decision and I would also like it to be a good decision."

Arteta made 149 appearances as a player for Arsenal between 2011 and 2016 before hanging up his boots and joining Manchester City as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

But now the popular Spanish midfielder is back at Arsenal, where the club's top brass are hopeful he can restore success to the side following some fallow years at the Emirates.

"We met several top-class candidates and Mikel stood out to every single one of us as the perfect person for us," said Arsenal's head of football Raul Sanllehi.

"We look forward to him getting down to work and bringing the best out of our squad as we work to get our season back on track."

Arsenal have won just five of 17 league matches this season, but will hope news of Arteta's appointment will prove to be a shot in the arm for the team as they travel to Everton for their early-kickoff clash on Saturday.