Arsenal officials in talks with Manchester City over deal to take Arteta to the Emirates
Wednesday 18 December 2019 10:09, UK
Mikel Arteta is expected to be named as Arsenal's permanent head coach - but what are the qualities that have seen him move into pole position for the job?
Arteta is in advanced talks to become the permanent successor to Unai Emery at the Emirates Stadium. Talks between Arsenal and Manchester City are ongoing and progressing well, with City boss Pep Guardiola expecting Arteta to make a quick decision over his future.
And Arsenal hope to have Arteta in charge of the side on Saturday for their game at Everton in the Premier League.
Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol takes a closer look at why the Arsenal hierarchy are keen to bring the club's former captain back to north London.
"Mikel Arteta is about to become Arsenal head coach 18 months after he was first interviewed for the job. He came very close to being appointed in the summer of 2018 after Arsene Wenger left but at the last minute, Arsenal decided to give the job to Unai Emery instead.
"Emery lost his job 19 days ago after he failed to re-establish Arsenal as a top-four side so the club's football executives have decided to give the job to their second choice from 2018.
"Arteta's appointment will receive a mixed reception from Arsenal fans. Many are concerned by his lack of managerial experience, others are more open to the idea of bringing in a former Arsenal captain to rebuild the playing side of the club.
"As far as the Arsenal board are concerned, they have long been impressed with Arteta and it was only a last-minute change of heart that saw Emery appointed ahead of him 18 months ago. Arteta fits the bill because he is an outstanding young coach who has played for Arsenal and knows what it means to play for and represent the club.
"He has worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City for three years and, like Guardiola, came through the Barcelona system as a player. He has played an important part in making City one of the best sides in the world. He works closely with individual players and has been credited with playing a key role in the development of young players such as Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane.
"The Spaniard is seen as a modern coach, he's very good one to one. He improves players and is noted for the amount of time he spends with players watching video and analysing performances.
"Arteta wants the Arsenal job and he will cost a lot less in compensation and wages than other big-name managers. Arsenal are expected to pay City less than £1m and Arteta's estimated annual salary of £5m is less than half what managers such as Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp earn.
"Arteta's ability to speak English fluently is also an important factor in his appointment. Emery struggled to communicate effectively with the media and fans and Arsenal were determined to make sure their new manager was a good English speaker. It also helps that Arteta speaks Spanish when it comes to dealing with club executives such as head of football Raul Sanllehi.
"Arsenal were also looking for a head coach who would fit into their management structure and that is something Arteta is willing to do. There was no appetite for returning to the days when Arsene Wenger ran everything as an all-powerful manager.
"Arteta will be working under a head of football, a technical director and a managing director. He will be one of the most powerful figures at the club but he will have to work closely with others when it comes to setting budgets and buying and selling players.
"Money will be made available for Arteta to strengthen the squad but he accepts that his focus has to be on working with the players who are already at the club. Arsenal were big spenders in the summer and they were not going to sanction the appointment of a manager who would want to spend fortunes in January and next summer.
"It is always risky appointing someone without any managerial experience. In normal circumstances a club as big as Arsenal would not turn to a man who has never managed before. But these are not normal times at Arsenal and they believe Arteta is a risk worth taking."
Sky Sports News North West reporter Ben Ransom on why Arteta is so highly regarded at City.
"Two weeks ago Mikel Arteta received a public recommendation for the Manchester City job... from the current manager Pep Guardiola. In an interview with my colleague Geoff Shreeves, Pep said he'd definitely be a candidate to replace him at City, and in recent weeks has made no secret of the high esteem he holds his No 2 in.
"But Guardiola also knows that Arteta is ready to be a No 1 right now. In much the same way Guardiola was able to study and learn from his mentor Johan Cruyff while a player at Barcelona, Arteta has been able to work closely with one of the greatest coaches of this generation.
"He was brought in at the start of Guardiola's time at City and has played an integral part in two record-breaking seasons. The pair have developed a mutual trust and Guardiola has come to rely on Arteta's tactical analysis in particular.
"You only have to watch the pair of them in the City dugout on match day, side-by-side, often heads together when considering tactical changes.
"With this year's title all but gone there were suggestions last week that a reported break clause could open the door to Pep calling time on his City project this summer.
"Guardiola denies thinking about leaving and instead maintains he's fully focused on a fifth season in Manchester. But football goes in cycles, and it feels like the time is coming for regeneration at the reigning Premier League champions.
"It would be a huge body blow if Pep were to lose a trusted lieutenant midway through the campaign, especially with a significant challenge already looming on the horizon to reinvigorate the squad and reclaim top spot from Liverpool."
Former Arsenal forward and Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas believes learning the ropes under Pep Guardiola is the best preparation Arteta could have for life at the Emirates.
"Arteta has been a captain at the club, he knows how to lead the team, in my opinion he's worked under the best coach on the planet and as Pep Guardiola said... he believes he's ready to be a No 1. Let's get the deal done, I would be very excited at the prospect of this.
"When Arteta was approached by the club 18 months ago he had certain demands. And if he's got certain demands in the way he wants to structure the team, that means he's prepared and he's ready to be a leader.
"We need some leadership qualities from someone and he's been at a top club with superstar footballers and I think him and Pep have helped make some of them better.
"Yes, it's a risk, but Unai Emery came from PSG but he ended up not being very good for us so it's a risk we have to take. We have to get a manager in and we have to do it now.
"Is there a time expectation on him? No. If Arteta comes in for his first job I think we all have to admit as Arsenal fans that he has to be given a minimum three seasons to get this thing built back up again."
However, Nicholas' fellow Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson thinks the task of managing Arsenal will prove too big for Arteta.
"This is a big, big gamble putting someone that has never managed before in charge of a club the size of Arsenal.
It's all well and good saying he's worked under Pep Guardiola, but let's be honest, Guardiola would struggle managing this Arsenal team. Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp would struggle!
"To ask someone with no managerial experience to take charge in the current circumstances at Arsenal is a big ask. But there are also massive question marks over his credentials, massive questions.
"One of the major factors with Arteta being linked with the job is that he's worked closely under Guardiola, and he used to play at Arsenal. Other than the fact he won't get lost on the way to training,
"I've got nothing against Arteta, he was a top player and is a top bloke - I've been in his company and he is lovely. For a coach in his position, he cannot not take the job. After all, getting into management is all about timing.'
