Why Mikel Arteta Should Become the Next Man City Manager
Pep Guardiola has recently signed a contract extension at Manchester City, which keeps him at the club until 2025.The Spaniard has been their most successful manager since he took over the club in 2016 and has presided over arguably their most successful period in recent memory.Before he signed his new deal, there had been several rumours that he would leave, just as was the case with his counterpart at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp.However, both of the best managers in the Premier League have extended their stay in the competition, and we expect to see them battle each other until at least 2024 when Klopp’s deal expires.Although Pep has now solidified his position as one of the best managers in the Premier League era, he will likely not be the City manager forever, no matter how hard the Citizens try to make him stay.The Spaniard could walk away from his job on or before his current deal expires, so City has to keep an eye on managers who they believe can replace the very successful Spanish boss at the Etihad. Several coaches might replace him at the club, but one man who probably deserves the job more than anyone else around is Mikel Arteta.The Arsenal gaffer has turned the London side from one of the worst-performing English giants to one of the top European clubs in just around three years, even though he had no senior managerial experience before taking the job. Arteta was a good leader on the field during his playing days, which undoubtedly made him one ex-player with a good chance of succeeding as a manager, and he has met expectations so far. Although he is yet to win a major trophy as a gaffer, the Spaniard’s team currently tops the EPL table and they are good value for money if you bet on them to at least finish this term inside the top two. He is remarkably enjoying this success even though last summer was a transition period for his team. He lost the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette within six months. He has transformed youngsters like Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard into world-class players who can easily influence the game and beat any opponent.These are early days, but it is clear that Arteta is the real deal, and Arsenal will be worried that the Spaniard might not even be their manager for a very long time if he continues to succeed at the helm. Why would he be the best man to replace Guardiola?
They Worked Together
Arteta retired in 2016 and immediately became Guardiola’s assistant manager at City, where he would hone his skills and build the necessary abilities until 2019, when Arsenal came knocking with an opportunity for him to be their boss.
The Spaniard’s time at City prepared him for the success he is enjoying on the Arsenal bench at the moment, and he will only get better at what he learned at City. This means when Pep leaves, the Citizens will get almost the same manager if they bring Arteta back to become a replacement for the man who gave him a chance to learn the art of management.
His Arsenal team is similar to City, which is why both clubs occupy the top two spots in the Premier League before the World Cup break, and they could become the new challenger to City’s dominance of the English game.
Similar Leadership Styles
Arteta has shown ruthlessness about him in recent times after axing the likes of Lacazette, Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, three players who have been idols to many Arsenal fans and youngsters during their time at the club.
This is similar to how Pep got rid of several flops at City when he first became their manager. Afterwards, his team began to win trophies and dominate the Premier League for much of his time on the bench. With Arteta, City will get a manager whose leadership style is similar to Guardiola’s, and he will ensure the club maintains the highest standards and only players who can do a job and keep them at the top will stay.
Emphasis On a Winning Club Culture
When Arteta became Arsenal’s manager, he discovered the culture at the club was poor, and he emphasised a change was needed, which he was going to make without fear or favour.
The Spaniard offloaded most of the players at the club who had delivered mediocre performances under the previous managers and are unwilling to change to work with him as their new boss.
The first high-profile departure from the club was Ozil. The likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette would eventually follow. Arsenal now has a winning culture, making them unbeatable in the league and Europe.
City is already enjoying a culture of unlimited success and they will be desperate to continue on that path when Pep leaves. That desire makes Arteta an ideal candidate to become their next boss for continuity.
Talent Development
Manchester City has some of the finest talents in English football being groomed at their academy, and they will need a manager who will trust these youngsters with enough playing chances.
Arteta has shown he is one of the most youth-friendly managers around. Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have become prominent footballers because he believed in them and gave them enough playing chances.
City will need a manager that will promote and develop the talents they have spent millions to acquire and train in their academy when Pep is no longer their manager. That is a job that Arteta has probably done better than their current boss.
Arteta’s Arsenal Revolution
Perhaps the biggest reason Arteta must be considered the best, if not the only, candidate to replace Pep is that the former midfielder has revolutionised Arsenal in the short time he has been their manager.
The Gunners haven’t won the Premier League under him yet, but it is clear that they are on their way to enjoying success more often than they could have done under their previous two managers. If they continue their upward trajectory, by the time Pep leaves, Arteta will have clinched several honours as their manager, making him prepared to take on the job at the Etihad.
Arteta’s achievement at Arsenal will be the best measure of his readiness to take over the hot seat at City, and the Spaniard seems to be on a path to greatness. If he returns to the club, more Manchester City tickets will be purchased by the fans because they will be confident Arteta will continue the winning tradition at the club and probably do better than his former master, Pep.
Arsenal knows they have a top manager on their hand, and we expect them to begin plans to hand Arteta a longer-term deal for security because he has become a leading commodity on the market.
Barcelona is another club that has an eye on him, but a return to Spain might take a long time because they never believed in him as a player, and the ex-midfielder has spent much of his professional life in Britain.
For now, Arteta must remain focused and achieve as much as he can on the bench of Arsenal because his achievements must speak for themselves when the opportunity comes for him to replace Pep at City.
