‘Don’t shoot off to the Gunners yet’, says Pep
PEP Guardiola has backed Mikel Arteta to have a successful career as a manager – but has urged his assistant to stay with City until the end of this season at least.
With Unai Emery under increasing pressure at Arsenal, former Gunners midfielder Arteta has again been linked with a return to the Emirates, having come close to succeeding Arsene Wenger before Emery was given the job.
Arteta has become increasingly influential at City since joining Guardiola’s staff the summer of 2016 and the 37-yearold looks destined to become a manager himself in the near future.
He has been touted as Guardiola’s potential replacement at the Etihad, with the Catalan’s contract due to expire in 18 months, but having been considered previously by Arsenal and Newcastle, he could be tempted away before he has the chance to take the reins at City.
Guardiola wants Arteta to stay at City for as long as possible, but is aware that he will become a manager in his own right at some point.
“Of course he will be manager sooner or later. Now we will see in the future what will happen,” Guardiola said of his number two. “I would like him honestly to stay with us as long as possible. But personal life is personal life, professional desires are professional.
“Everyone, not just me, is more than satisfied to have him here.”
Arteta has Premier League experience from his time with Everton and Arsenal and Guardiola believes the position he played has helped his transition into coaching, while his work ethic has shone through at
City. “He was an incredible player. Normally the holding midfielder have a vision,” he said.
“It is an incredible lesson in your career to learn what happened, you don’t need to go to school. He is an incredible human being and work ethic. I said after a few months, this guy will be a manger. He behaves like a manager.”