Arteta to ‘wave goodbye’ to Arsenal with chance to replace Guardiola at Man City ‘impossible to resist’

Mikel Arteta has been “identified” by Manchester City as their top pick to take over as manager of the team when Pep Guardiola leaves in the summer of 2025, following a report that outlined the compelling reasons for the manager of Arsenal to move to the Etihad.

With an incredible impact on the three clubs he has managed, Spanish tactician Guardiola is rightfully considered as one of the greatest coaches of all time. With just a victory over Manchester United in Saturday’s FA Cup final standing in his way, he is poised to complete the hat trick after leading Manchester City to the Treble the previous season.

After winning the Premier League for the sixth time in the previous seven seasons, Saturday’s victory will bring Guardiola’s career total of managerial honors to an astounding 37. His total at the Etihad is expected to reach an unrivaled 16 major trophies.

Though there is a growing school of thought suggesting Guardiola will walk away at the end of his current contract and take a much-needed break from the game, the deal expires at the end of the 2024–2025 season.

Guardiola, 53, may be nearing the end of his playing career after Jack Grealish revealed earlier in the season that he frequently works 18–20 hour days, seven days a week, in his quest to be the best.

Furthermore, rumors about who might replace Guardiola in the Etihad dugout are starting to circulate because the manager himself seems to be hinting that he is closer to the end of his tenure than the start.

Man City announces Guardiola’s departure date.

After defeating West Ham 3-1 on Sunday to win the Premier League title, Guardiola said, “The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.”

“After speaking with the club, I feel as though I should stay at this time. I’ll be here for the upcoming season, and we can talk then. But we’ll see in eight or nine years.

Guardiola responded, “I had that season last year after [winning the Champions League to complete the Treble in] Istanbul,” when asked what was left for him to accomplish and whether he felt he had “completed English football.” “It’s over, there’s nothing left,” I declared. But I’m still here because I have a contract.

“A few of the times Even though I’m a little exhausted, there are moments that I cherish, and we’re having fun, winning games, and attracting new players. I began to consider the idea that since nobody had completed four consecutive tasks, why don’t we try? I think it’s finished now, so what comes next? FA Cup [this Saturday against United in the final].

“Gary Lineker informed me that no team has ever won the FA Cup and the Premier League simultaneously.

“My goal is for my players to have a fun-filled two or three days, after which we will have two days to prepare for the final. However, at this point, I am unsure of the precise motivation behind this because it is hard to pinpoint once everything is finished.

“But knowing the players and myself I know that when we are there we will say why should we not win today? Why should we not work as much as possible to do what we have to do? And I know we are going to do it.”

Mikel Arteta ‘closer to Man City than he is Arsenal’

In light of those comments, Fabrizio Romano has revealed it is widely expected that Guardiola will indeed walk away from City come next summer, leaving the Blues with the unenviable task of landing on a man who can replicate his success.

Incredibly, rather than taking a break from the game, reports in Spain claim Guardiola is ready to step out of the frying pan and into the fire by agreeing a sentimental return to former club Barcelona with immediate effect.

Those same reports now also state that City chiefs have landed on Arteta as the ideal candidate to replace him at the Etihad, having been wowed by the work he has done with Arsenal since leaving his role as Guardiola’s No 2 back in 2019.

In those four and a half years, Arteta has transformed the Gunners into Champions League quarter-finalists and successive Premier League runners-up, taking City all the way to a final day of the season battle this time around.

And after placing him at the top of their wanted list as Guardiola’s successor, it’s claimed Arteta is now ‘closer to Manchester City than staying at Arsenal’ with the latter’s deal at the Emirates Stadium also due to expire in summer 2025.

The report adds that ‘despite the attempts that the board has made to ensure that he stays at the Emirates Stadium for a long time, so far they have all been fruitless.

‘He has not seemed particularly convinced with this option, and it seems that he has decided to start a new adventure in a club that guarantees him a higher budget, and above all, much more freedom when it comes to making the squad.’

Arteta to bid farewell to Gunners?

And it’s now claimed that, as a result, the project at Man City is seen as far more convincing and striking to Arteta’ who will ‘wave goodbye’ to Arsenal and with the Etihad hotseat seen as ‘impossible to resist’.

Furthermore, it’s stated that Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano are ‘convinced’ the 42-year-old is the ‘best possible candidate to continue with the project that Pep will leave behind next year’.

Speaking before Arsenal’s final Premier League game of the season at home to Everton, Arteta made clear he was willing to discuss a new deal at the Emirates Stadium over the summer.

Arteta said: “That’s something that after the season, or whenever the right time is, we will talk and sit down. What is important is to win now, to keep believing that we can continue to win. That’s the important thing.

“Whatever happens, it will be very emotional on the day [against Everton]. It’s probably not the right moment to make any conclusions but afterwards we will have time to reflect.

“You have to go through the season we have to come to the point we have done and try to understand why. We have to find the ‘why’ and the ‘how’, we are going to do the next bit. That’s more important.”

Arteta has a 59.05 win percentage record at Arsenal, claiming victories in 137 of his 232 games in charge.

Guardiola, by comparison, has won an unbelievable 343 of his 471 games in charge of City – giving him a record of 72.82%.