Manchester City’s assistant coach Mikel Arteta has been linked with the vacant manager’s role at Arsenal, according to the Daily Star.
Arteta joined the blues coaching staff after retiring from the game in 2016. He spent five years at Arsenal following his move from Everton in 2011, where he spent six years in their midfield. And City fans will remember well that it was Arteta who scored Arsenal’s winner in April 2012 as the Gunners beat the blues 1-0 to leave City eight points behind United in the title race.
But now Arteta’s name has been touted with a return to the Emirates following Arsene Wenger’s announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the season after twenty two years in charge. And, according to the Star, midfielder Aaron Ramsey has spoken of his admiration for the former Gunner.
“Mikel was a fantastic player for Arsenal and a great captain,” said Ramsey. “He’s been under Pep Guardiola there, he was always interested even when he was playing here in going into a coaching role one day, I’m sure he’s learning a lot about the game and especially the way Man City have been playing. They’ve done fantastically well, so I’m sure that one day when the time is right, he’ll be a fantastic manager.”
But it maybe too soon in his coaching career for Arteta, having only been in the role for two years, which may leave the door open for another former blue and Gunner, Patrick Vieira. The Frenchman is the current manager at City’s sister club, New York City FC, and recently said that he is ready for a challenge in Europe.