Things aren’t looking good for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. The Premier League giants only sit 10th in the table, and there have been some calls for the Spanish manager and former Gunners player to be sacked.
Born in San Sebastian, Spain, in 1982, Arteta rose through the ranks of Spanish football before transferring to the UK and enjoying a successful career as a midfielder for teams such as Rangers, Everton and Arsenal. After retiring from professional football in 2016, Arteta became the Assistant Coach for Manchester City in the same year, before later taking the managerial job at Arsenal in 2019.
The season has been rough for the young manager. Covid restrictions meant the Premier League season started later, with matches often being cancelled or postponed throughout. We also had congested fixtures, and the schedule saw Arsenal falling further down, to the point that they’re a mid-table club now.
How much more time will Mikel Arteta be given to turn it around? And if he’s sacked, who would the club select to replace him? Let’s take a look at some of the contenders:
Thierry Henry
This Ex-Arsenal player was their superstar striker back in the early 2000s when he transferred in from Italian powerhouse Juventus. Sometimes cited back then as the best player in the world, Henry left Arsenal in 2007, to transfer to Barcelona.
It was a move that shocked the football world at the time. Since his retirement in 2014, Henry has been a pundit for Sky Sports, a coach for Belgium’s national team, manager of AS Monaco and, finally, manager of Montreal Impact. Some believe a return to Arsenal could reignite the club’s fire and take them back to the glory days of the 90s and 2000s. His current odds on returning average about 12/1.
Arsene Wenger
A dream scenario for some Arsenal fans, the return of the club legend and longest-serving manager would feel somewhat logical, at least on some levels, at this point.
Wenger ran Arsenal for an impressive 22 years, before stepping down in 2018. Since then there have been numerous rumours of high-profile clubs offering up roles to the 71 year old Frenchman, but he hasn’t accepted any of them yet. Even though he reportedly said he would never go back to the North London club, that hasn’t stopped fans and bookies speculating he could yet return someday. His current odds stand at 40/1.
Brendan Rodgers
The bookies’ favorite to take over at Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers is currently managing top four contenders Leicester City. Although nothing has been spoken about officially, it seems many fans have been singing Rodger’s praises and calling for him to replace Arteta. Having been at Leicester City for almost 2 years, and doing very well at the King Power Stadium, there’s speculation as to why he would consider leaving his successful side now. Having said that, Arsenal are a bigger club and, if the price is right, who knows what could happen over the summer. His current odds to replace Arteta are currently 3/1.
Freddie Ljunberg
Another ex-Arsenal player, Ljunberg was a winger for the team from 1998-2007 and is regarded as one of their greatest players ever. After he announced his retirement from the sport in 2012, he returned to promote the Indian Super League and signed to Mumbai FC in 2014. However, his comeback was short lived. Due to a persistent injury, he ended his contact after only playing four games and returned to London.
He served as a coach at the club from 2016-2019. Beloved by the team’s fans, Ljunberg’s odds of snatching the manager position at Arsenal stand at 16/1.
So who should you bet for?
It still remains to be seen if Mikel Arteta is actually going anywhere at all. Although the club has suffered some very bad losses so far this season, talks of Arteta departing are only just rumors at present. That said, if you have a hunch who may take the title of Arsenal’s next manager, now’s a good time to place your bet. However, before you do so, check out Gamble.xyz to find the best gambling sites. Although primarily focused on casino gaming, the website has listed plenty of sportsbooks to choose from, many of which offer great welcome bonuses to new players.
Good luck!