Current Manchester City assistant manager yet to tell present employers whether or not he wishes to leave
Arsenal remain hopeful that Mikel Arteta will be their new head coach in time for the visit to Everton on Saturday.
The current Manchester City assistant is yet to tell his present employers whether he wishes to take up a new role at the Emirates but is expected to make up his mind once Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup trip to Oxford has concluded.
City – and in particular manager Pep Guardiola – are keen for Arteta to stay at the Etihad but realise that the offer from north London to take charge of his former club may prove too enticing to turn down.
A decision on his future could therefore arrive as early as Thursday – Guardiola said he believed the decision was going to be “quick” when he was asked about his trusted assistant on Monday.
Arteta, who has been part of Guardiola’s staff since he arrived at the club in 2016, will travel with the City squad to Oxford after holding discussions with the Arsenal hierarchy this week.
That included controversial pictures of Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and lawyer Huss Fahmy leaving Arteta’s Manchester home in the early hours of Monday morning, which angered the current Premier League champions.
Arteta has a strong emotional pull to former club Arsenal but is also said to be conscious of the strength of his relationship with Guardiola, who has long-touted Arteta as his potential successor at the Etihad.
“He knows exactly what we would like, but in the end the decision is individual, it is personal,” said Guardiola.
“Nobody is here that doesn’t want to be here. What will happen in the next days? I don’t know, honestly. I would like Mikel to be here.”
Source: SkySports