Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 4, 2023. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that Mikel Arteta leaving would ‘be a massive blow’ for Arsenal after reacting to some recent exit links.
The Lowdown: Wanted in Spain
It was reported by Spanish news outlet Sport back in November that FC Barcelona would be interested in hiring Arteta as their next manager, while he is also thought to be an option to eventually replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, after previously being his assistant at the Etihad Stadium.
More recently, the Spaniard has also been linked with taking over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, as his superb season is being noticed by some of Europe’s top clubs.
Indeed, his Arsenal side were five points clear of City in second at the top of the table in the Premier League, before the visit of Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium earlier this afternoon.
The Latest: ‘Massive blow’ if Arteta leaves
Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that it would ‘be a massive blow’ if the Gunners were to lose Arteta, but added that he does not think that there is any ‘real fear’ that he will leave anytime soon:
“It’d be a massive blow to lose him but it’s no surprise to see Arteta attracting interest from other clubs.
“There was talk of Barcelona not long ago – I would take it as a compliment for the work that he’s doing.
“I don’t think there’s any real fear for Arsenal fans to think Arteta might leave the club right now. He’s in this project.”
The Verdict: Keep him!
The North London club simply need to keep Arteta at all costs, as he is headlining their project at the Emirates Stadium.
The 40-year-old has turned his team from top-four hopefuls at the end of last season, where they missed out on a UEFA Champions League place to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur, to title challengers within the space of less than a year, showing his outstanding coaching skills in getting his players to move up to the next level.
It must not be forgotten that Arteta also won a trophy in his first season at Arsenal, winning the FA Cup at the end of the 2019/20 season, while he also won the Community Shield in the following campaign.
Nonetheless, the Gunners will no doubt want to keep him for as long as they can, with recent links to the likes of Real Madrid a testament to the job that he is doing.
About the Author
