The first game of the post Unai Emery era at Arsenal FC is in the books and the result was bleak. The Gunners could only manage a 2-2 draw at newly promoted Norwich City, a side that could easily find themselves sent back down to the Championship once this season is over.
It appears that the man in charge on a caretaker basis may not be the guy long term, so who is? Well, multiple reports indicate that the Kroenkes want a club man, Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta, as the first choice. Is it going to happen? Well, it’s going to take a lot of money and negotiations that much is certain.
Arteta is listed fourth on the boards at Irish sports book Paddy Power, who have the following ten candidates available for wagering on, and their respective odds are listed below. Also listed are each man’s percentage chances, via The Telegraph.
Max Allegri 11/10 48%
Best and brightest available, has been for some time. This would be the safe choice.
Nuno Espirito Santo 4/1 20%
Hot up-and-coming name, what he’s done with Wolves has made him a sought after commodity.
Freddie Ljungberg 6/1 14%
He’ll get adequate time to audition for the gig, but today was a really bad first impression.
Mikel Arteta 6/1 14%
We covered him in the intro; seems to be the dream hire option right now.
Mauricio Pochettino 10/1 9%
What a plot twist this would be; from one side of the North London Derby to the other. Not very likely though as Poch will likely take some off before jumping in on the next gig. His agent will be taking a lot of calls, and deservedly so.
Rafa Benitez 12/1 8%
He’s right after Allegri as the second most accomplished manager available on the free market.
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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