PEP: I COULDN’T MIK HIM STAY

Guardiola admits he ran out of excuses to keep Arteta with the champs

PEP GUARDIOLA admitted he struggled to come up with a persuasive argument to convince Mikel Arteta to snub Arsenal’s advances.

The Manchester City boss was resigned to losing his No.2 to the Gunners despite insisting he will be alongside him in the dugout at Oxford United in the Carabao Cup tonight.

Asked to come up with a reason why Arteta would not go, Guardiola said: “It is a good argument. Why not?

“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.

“But I said many times, and 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.” Arteta, 37, had a meeting on Sunday night at his Manchester house with Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and club lawyer Huss Fahmy.

Pictures of the pair leaving Arteta’s house upset City’s hierarchy given there had been no mention of a possible approach between boards during their Premier

League clash that day.

But while Guardiola had hoped his fellow

Spaniard would stay at the Etihad until the end of the season, he insisted he was not surprised by the nature and outcome of negotiations.

“Mikel was honest with me, he explained everything that happened, the steps but after that I didn’t ask what you want to do,” he said.

“I don’t want to be involved. I’m a guy that likes the people live with freedom and do what you want. “He knows exactly what we think about him, at the club. After that, we cannot do more. “I think the club has done everything and we cannot do anymore.”

Guardiola added: “All the clubs around the world make behind the scenes the first contact, try to avoid the clubs that are in charge so that process is normal.

“All I can say from how I’m concerned is Mikel was clear with me and that’s all. Perhaps there is a problem with the chairmen and the

CEOS – but they have to talk to each other.”

Guardiola appeared unconcerned about the prospect of the loss of his assistant disrupting City’s season, with the suggestion Arteta may not be replaced immediately.

City are looking for a third consecutive Carabao Cup trophy as they look to end the League One club’s cup run.

The match will come too soon for David Silva and Sergio Aguero, despite the latter returning to training this week following a thigh injury.

Leroy Sane is also closing in on a return having made a return to training on his own.

“The next step to get to the pitch and the next round will be to start training with us,” added Guardiola. “A full training session is incredibly good news for him and for all of us.”