Pep Guardiola tips Mikel Arteta to become a club manager “sooner or later”
Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has tipped Arsenal managerial target, Mikel Arteta, to be a manager sooner than we all expect.
Arteta has been with Pep Guardiola as assistant manager of Manchester City since the former Barcelona boss move to England.
Before that, Arteta had spent the final five years of his playing career at Arsenal. He was also one of the eight candidates that were linked with the Arsenal job when Arsene Wenger resigned from his position.
Unai Emery was given the job but he hasn’t built on the success he achieved in his first campaign at the Emirates.
Arteta has now been installed as one of the favourites to succeed Emery as he comes under renewed pressure.
Guardiola, when asked about the possibility of Arteta’s departing, said per The Independent,
”Of course he [Arteta] will be a manager sooner or later. If I was in his position, as an assistant coach as young as he is, always we will have that.
“Now we are going to finish this season and in the future I don’t know what is going to happen.”
When pressed whether the best thing for Arteta’s potential as a manager would be to remain working under him, Guardiola added: “I would like honestly for him to stay with us as long as possible. Not just Pep, Manchester City has an incredibly valuable person to work in this club for the future.
“But personal life is personal life. Professional desires are professional, each one. Everyone, not just me, are more than satisfied to have him here, but what will happen at the end of the season I don’t know.”
Not sure how to read that, to be honest. From what I can tell Guardiola is talking about the end of the season, not now.