Mikel Arteta, the former Spanish football player, is about to join the Arsenal FC. The Spanish football coach reportedly held talks with his current football club, Manchester City, last week to discuss a transfer deal to Arsenal. This week, he is set to hold a second round of talks and final interview with Arsenal chief Josh Kroenke before finalizing the transfer deal.
According to the UK-based online publication The Sun, Arteta is expected to be offered a £5 million-a-year contract, which will be revealed later this week. The former Arsenal midfielder is set to join the English club in the next 48 hours, leaving his role as Manchester City assistant manager.
The 37-year-old former football player was a top candidate to replace Arsene Wenger in 2018 but was declined when the Arsenal decided to pick Unai Emery for the job. Arteta has spent over five years in London, managing Manchester City.
Some Arsenal players want Carlos Ancelotti, not Arteta
However, Arteta’s transfer deal could be scrapped after a number of Arsenal players have approached the Arsenal’s board to raise concerns about Arteta’s lack of experience and whether the Spaniard has the credentials with enough experience to manage a big Premier League football club like Arsenal.
The English football club is keen for an experienced manager and the Italian manager Carlos Ancelotti is reportedly to be the top choice for the job.
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich team manager is one of only three team managers that has won the UEFA Champions League three times and has led the Italian club into three Champions League titles. Ancelotti has deep experience when it comes to a managerial position. He has worked for a number of big European football clubs, which include Parma, Reggiana, Juventus, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Napoli.
Ancelotti’s years of experience are said to make a big appeal to the senior members of the Arsenal. Unfortunately, the Italian manager is reportedly in talks with another English football club, the Liverpool-based Everton.
Ryan Giggs offers advice to Arteta
In another English football-related story, Ryan Giggs, the Welsh football coach and former Manchester United striker, has offered some advice to Arteta on how to address Arsenal’s current defensive issues.
Giggs believes that Arsenal should turn their attention to their younger talents. In a recent conversation with the Premier League Productions, the former Man U striker said that he would be well served to throw a few of the club’s younger players into the mix to get the work done, the Metro reported.
The former Man U striker has witnessed the humiliation Arsenal experienced during a match with Manchester City, where the Arsenal were crushed 3-0 at Emirates Stadium. The devastating defeat has prompted the club to seek a new manager.
