Manchester City identify Mikel Arteta as Pep Guardiola successor if the Spaniard leaves
Manchester City is closely observing Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and has admiration for his work.
The outcome of the Premier League’s investigation into Manchester City’s financial rule-breaking has cast uncertainty over the future of the club, including the position of current manager Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola previously stated that he would resign if it was confirmed that the club’s leadership lied to him, and he is now likely to depart before the start of the next season.
L’Equipe has reported Paris Saint-Germain’s interest in Guardiola, despite his recent extension of his contract with Manchester City.
Meanwhile, it is rumored that Manchester City has its eye on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as a potential replacement for Guardiola.
The Athletic reported that City has been monitoring Arteta for some time, with interest growing stronger due to Arsenal’s unexpected title challenge against City this season.
There has been mutual interest between Arteta and Manchester City in the past.
Arteta worked under Guardiola at Manchester City after retiring from playing in 2016. However, The Mirror reported that one of the reasons Arteta left City for Arsenal in 2019 was because Manchester City didn’t assure him a path to become the club’s manager after Guardiola’s departure.
Arteta, who grew up admiring Guardiola as a player in the Basque Country and eventually played with him at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, was considered an inexperienced coach at the time by City, making it unlikely for him to take over as manager. However, this is no longer an issue now.
It is uncertain if Arteta would consider leaving Arsenal for Manchester City. Arteta values loyalty highly and is likely to remain with the club that has supported him through difficult times rather than move to a rival Premier League club.
Additionally, with the potential financial sanctions facing Manchester City, they may not be able to offer Arteta a comparable level of control and budget to what he currently has at Arsenal.
There have been various reports about Guardiola’s future, with The Mirror reporting that he is a target for the Netherlands national team, The BBC claiming that Brazil approached him in the past, and The Independent stating that he asked to interview for the England national team position after Fabio Capello, but was declined due to his lack of English nationality.
Manchester City identify Mikel Arteta as Pep Guardiola successor if the Spaniard leaves
