Man United and Arsenal on alert as Arteta contract talks stall

Manchester United and Arsenal are on red alert as Mikel Arteta's contract talks at Goodison have hit an impasse.

Everton are desperate to sign their star midfielder on a new, extended deal, as some of the top Premier League clubs circle in admiration of the Spaniard.

He has emerged as one of the best performers in his position in English football, and that has aroused the interest of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

Both are weighing up a move for the Spanish midfielder, and both will be encouraged that he is yet to agree a new deal, despite a generous offer from Everton.

Arteta has two years left on his current contract, and officials at Goodison are keen to sign him up for life, as manager David Moyes identifies him as central to his long-term plans.

But the intelligent 28-yea-old realises that his next contract will probably be the most important of his career, and he will not commit so easily given the interest in him.

Seville have maintained a long-term interest in the player, along with Valencia and Atletico Madrid, but it is within the Premier League that he has generated most interest.

Aston Villa and Spurs have also watched him regularly, while Manchester City would no doubt be more interested had not their relationship with Everton broken down completely.

Ferguson has been casting around for a successor to Paul Scholes for some time now, and Arteta certainly fits the bill, while Wenger is on standby in case Barcelona manage to tempt Cesc Fabregas back home.

Everton though, are still confident that Arteta's iconic status amongst the Goodison faithful will swing negotiations their way, and they are prepared to offer him a deal to keep him on Merseyside for the rest of his career.

They are also still hoping to persuade Steven Pienaar to sign a new deal. The South African has just one year of his contract left, and has been the subject of much interest, but Moyes is determined to keep him, and will insist that the winger remains for the final year of his current contract, even if he refuses to extend it.