He takes charge after leaving Osasuna at the end of last season. Arrasate succeeds Javier Aguirre, who's deal was not renewed by the Mallorca board.
Arrasate has signed a three-year contract and told local media: “I think all coaches are about challenges and projects. It’s something we say many times, but it’s not easy to find in professional football. And after this wonderful time in Osasuna, for which I am very grateful to all the people of Pamplona, now we undertake another challenge, another project, and I am very excited because that is what a coach wants: to build something.
“I think Mallorca is an emerging club. The last few years have shown it. And above all because it offers me confidence, a project. I think that when I have had the chance to be with them, in the end what the coach likes is to feel wanted and they have transmitted to me that interest and that project as well. Timing is very important because I think that the three years give me room to be able to build something from something that I have been able to inherit, which is very good. And I’m not going to deceive you either, family is very important to me and we also understand that the family will be well in Mallorca.
“I feel a little liberated. It is not easy, first, to give that news. Then to live with that news and then to make official where you are going to go. Once those times or that process occur, one feels liberated and eager to start. Fully involved in the preseason and planning, and when a coach immerses himself in those things he quickly gets excited again.
“The first thing is to value the work of recent years. In this case, that of Javier Aguirre as well, since I believe that I inherit a consolidated team with a few years already in the First Division. And what I want to contribute is a bit of my nuance and my way of seeing football. I don’t think we will lack enthusiasm. I want a recognisable team. In previous years I have been able to achieve that and the idea is to do the same in Mallorca. A team that is already consolidated and that is already. a good team, to try to take it to higher places, knowing that it is difficult, but we are going with that hope.”