While there are still plenty of details to be ironed out it’s only a matter of time before Mikel Arteta becomes the next manager of Arsenal FC. The north London club wants their former player, and the current Manchester City assistant wants the gig. He’s actually the Kroenkes’ first choice to succeed Unai Emery at the Emirates.
City won’t stand in the way of making that happen and neither will current manager Pep Guardiola, who extolled the virtues and potential of his right hand man.
“We were so smart to pick him up and other clubs want him,” Guardiola said ahead of tomorrow’s EFL Cup quarterfinal clash against Oxford United.
“He’s an incredible person. A good manager, good work ethic. That’s why he’s with us. He’s talking with Arsenal so I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Guardiola said that Arteta has been very straight-forward and honest about the whole process, but he doesn’t have any inside information about what’s going on. He naturally wishes his number two guy could stay on staff with him, but he also gets why the 37-year-old is in a situation where he’s being made an offer that he simply cannot refuse.
“It is a good argument — why not?” The manager of the current reigning two time Premier League champions continued. “It is uncomfortable for me. It is a question for Mikel, I am not in his brain. We talk about it a little bit but his feelings are his feelings.
“If he decides to move I’ll wish him all the best, for him, his family and for his professional future. I will beat him — that’s a joke!”
“He was honest with me, he explained everything that happened, the steps but after that I didn’t ask what you want to do. I don’t want to be involved. I am a guy that [lets] the people live with freedom.
“I said many times, it’s the same with the players, if they have other desires or wishes whatever, what can we do? We are not going to tell him, stay, stay stay, if he doesn’t want to stay.”
Manchester City FC at Oxford United League Cup Quarterfinal FYIs
Manchester City team news, starting XI prediction: go to this link
Kickoff: Wed. Dec 18, 745, The Kassam Stadium
Referee: Andrew Madley
Form Guide: Manchester City- WWLWDD Oxford United- LDDWWW
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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