Arsene Wenger admits Mikel Arteta is likely to end his Arsenal playing career this summer as rumours circle that the Spaniard has been offered a position on Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff when the Bayern Munich boss takes over at Manchester City.
Injuries have restricted the Gunners club captain to only 13 starts in the last two season and he’s turned his attention to the future by taking his coaching badges.
While Guardiola, a childhood friend from his time at Barcelona’s La Masia, is understood to be in pole position to recruit the 34-year-old, Arsene Wenger says he’s not yet ruled out offering the midfielder a position on his staff at London Colney.
“It’s possible [that he could leave],” Wenger told press ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad.
“It’s possible. It’s true that he’s out of contract here. As his contract finishes here, it’s a good opportunity to thank him for his contribution not only as a player but also as a leader.
“What kind of orientation he gives to his career…I heard about that possibility [of going to City], but I don’t know. He could inform you much better than I can. He’s free to decide to do what he wants, he’ll certainly want some time to reflect.
“Does he continue to play? I still think he can play. In the last month he’s come back to a very good physical level and he’s in a position still to continue to play.
“He would still be a very good player everywhere.”
As he’s mentioned previously, Wenger made clear that the club only tends to offer coaching positions when they are available. Revealing it’s not yet clear whether there will be movement on that front, the Frenchman left the door open for Arteta.
“I don’t rule it out [that he could become an Arsenal coach], but it’s always the same.
“You want your former players to be at the club, but as well you need positions. You can’t create artificial positions.
“If you have coaches in the under-18, 16, 14 who are very good you will not kick them out to make room for players who want to coach. If we have positions we always give a good chance to the players who played here.
“Let’s not forget I have given to many, many players the opportunity to make their licence here, to educate them, after that maybe, to coach somewhere else. But we always open the door to give them an opportunity to be educated. After we need positions available sometimes to offer them a job.
“At the moment we go to the end of the season, I don’t know what will happen with the coaches movement as well, we’ll see.”
Gave his all for the shirt whenever he played. Wish him the very best for the future.
Agree. He was a decent signing when he joined us, but, as his wont, Wenger pampered Arteta and gave him one contract too many. Good wage money was wasted on a player who was passed it at least two years ago.
I’ve got a feeling that the Spaniard could make a very good manager.
I don’t think it was easy to know that he was ‘passed it’ before the start of last season. He got injured fairly early, having only just come back from injury towards the end of the previous season (where, granted, he did look like he had no spring left in his legs, but that could have been to do with just returning from injury, at the time). The job he performed for us was underrated by a lot of people – he had to do a lot of defending when Alex Song decided he was the next Zidane and kept… Read more »
Oh ffs, it’s not like that wage money would have been spent on anything else. I’d rather it go to Arteta than Silent Stan’s ranch.
I always rated Arteta, I think he has been a hugely underrated player by a lot of the fans in my eyes. Lets not forget that season when we genuinely were title contenders up until March, he was an instrumental figure in getting us there; he also had the bottle to stick away that key penalty in the tie against Everton, after being forced to retake it. He also scored that sublime goal at home against City in the last minute of the game that helped us clinch 4th spot. He was a key player for us. Ultimately he just… Read more »
Did same at Everton where he stayed longer or at least played more games. Does Arsenal have more place in his heart? Vieira made his name at Arsenal but showed more love to City. By the way, being a natural leader does not guaranty success as a coach. Vieira does not hesitate to bench Pirlo at NYC but his record as a coach in MLS has been poor so far.
Arteta probably doesn’t have much more to learn from Wenger. A role with Guardiola might be hard to turn down even though it’s Citeh…
He has a lot of potential to be a great leader. But early days for him, needs some coaching experience first.
Can see him going to City unfortunately, with Vieira that would be two too many of our ex-players who went there.
He could lure them back to the light side – including Pep, once Arsene has vacated his position.
Don’t forget the great Brian Marwood and David ‘The Forehead’ Platt as well!
Can’t see any harm in him going to City and working with Pep. What a great education that could be. Then he can come back to us when he’s the real deal.
By the way. Arteta was a great signing. Got us through that rocky 2011-12 season.
But why would Pep lure him to city and then let him go to Arsenal when he’s the ‘real deal’? That’s wishful thinking if you ask him this is a steal considering Arsene has spoken numerous times of Artetas leadership capabily and also possibility of being a great coach
Probably our most important player for a few seasons in the transition from the banter era. Completely underrated. His partnership with Rambo was still the best midfield two we’ve had in a long time. Just wish we’d got hold of him a bit earlier..
Something about Pep just pisses me off. Those City cunts will be all the more insufferable next season.
Pep has a huge ego for a manager. He is extremely proud of his style and when it backfires it hurts him so bad he cries like a baby. Pep is the attack minded maureen. Pep can’t develop players. He is just a tactical coach at best.
Agreed. At this point, I’m just hoping that United don’t give that twat Mourinho a job. If I have to deal with listening to his shit for the next few years, I might just give up football and turn to lawn bowls or some shit.
If Guardiola did offer him a position, given Arteta’s relationship with him, wouldn’t be surprised if he joins them. But would love to see him come back to Arsenal. If Wenger and Guardiola have high opinions about his ability as a coach, Arsenal should do everything in their power to keep him.
Just because one of our players is retiring doesn’t mean we should always offer them a coaching role. Arteta was a great signing as a player, that’s easy for us to quantify but we know nothing of his coaching ability. Suddenly we all become experts because we can’t bear to see him go to City. And do we have any vacancies for another coach at the moment? How many do we need?
Given that both Pep and Wenger wants him I’d take their opinion over yours. Arteta clearly has immense potential as a coach, he made the transition from AM to DM look seemless. He steadied the ship during his first season when Cesc left (remember how we had our balls up in our mouth when Arteta got injured and Song had to be the main DM?). Had his best game against City that year, coinciding with our first win against them on so many attempts. On his second season he allowed Ramsey that amazing season, unbelievable that no other midfielder so… Read more »
A player adapting to a different position isn’t neccessarily an precursor to them becoming a good coach or manager. I agree with you that he was a fantastic signing and I’d love for him to go on and do well. Hopefully for us someday! But I just get a bit bored of people thinking that just because an ex-player is retiring that retaining them as a coach will suddenly make us successful again.
Exactly, when someone is sought after by the likes of AW and Pep there’s clearly got to be the right ingredients in his footballing brain. Remember how he got the whole team mentally prepared for our FA Cup wins? How his presence has been crucial in many new signings and youth players adapting to the AFC way of life?
Arsene should show the guy some love and get him a role on our coaching team.
Show the love damnit, Arsene!
#wengerpout
Also it’s not really even about his potential coaching ability as none of us know, it’s about a pattern at play. It’s been widely accepted that the quick breaking of the invincibles and not having any continuity possibly effected the youth, if not the culture of our team. We’ve seen the model of well rated club players being brought into the coaching fold by Barca and Ajax. At Bayern, they go one step further and integrate them into the whole level of the club at the board level. It feels like letting Arteta, with the POTENTIAL for being a good… Read more »
I think it’s far too simple to think that ex-players becoming coaches at Arsenal is a panacea. Look who’s won the PL in the past 10 seasons and then consider how many have done so with a load of former players on their coaching staff. I think Bayern would win the Bundesliga with or without former players at board level. I fail to see how that influences performances. And Barcelona, for all their success with ex-players as managers, are one of the richest teams in the world who can afford to buy pretty much any player they want. I’d posit… Read more »
Have cursed him as a player but always wanted him as a part of our backroom staff. Important to keep players like him in and around the club.
Arteta’s personality is exactly like what we need in a manager. I hope he joins Guardiola, learns as much as he can and some day will be back at Arsenal.
Is it OK to call Mr. Wenger a very diplomatic person. I just wish he were a little more straight forward with everything.
Whilst going to city U18s is a great opportunity, I’m not sure he’ll be getting a huge amount of ‘pep experience’. I don’t think the youth team coaches spend significant amounts of time with the first team manager. Could be wrong of course.
He will make a good coach than your dear Henry…even Per Mertersacker will do more than Henry. God bless you Arteta.
Imagine the coaching knowledge he would have after learning from the likes of Wenger, Pep and……Moyes
I can’t see why we wouldn’t offer him the chance to do whatever he’d do at Man City with us instead, I imagine the chance of working with Guardiola may be too good to refuse. I’ll miss our lego haired capitan though. The moment I realised just how influential he was to this team was last year against anderlecht at home. We were 3 up and cruising. Arteta picked up the injury that’s seen him sidelined till now and we went of to draw that game 3-3 conceding 3 goals after he was taken off. He also played a big… Read more »
Maybe he will want Champion’s League experience. In which case he will stay with us. Seems obvious that City will be playing Europa next year.
As much as wenger says he loves arsenal and he does everything within his ability to benefit the club some of his decisions are killing the club. Transfer policy quickly comes to mind but not offering former players like Viera, Arteta, Bergkamp coaching roles is up there with the worst decisions he has made
You can only access that after Viera, Arteta, Bergkamp coaching comes to end. They might become brilliant managers equaly as they might be some of the worst…
What s ridiculous comment. Based on what. I’m sure you claimed you were intelligent.
A superb leader and a personal favourite. He really was the player we needed at a difficult period. He deserved to play more as team captain but injuries have been merciless since 2014. Best of luck to him for the future.
Wonderful player. Completely solidified and balanced the team and gave other players a platform to play – something we could really do with now
Elneny!
One hopes so!
Wenger out
He had class. Who gives a shit about things like trophies and glory. Everyone has that.
You can tell I am a big fan of Arteta. Loyal, tough,classy and well balanced. He like Beckham got the most from his ability. He made us a better club and our younger players better and more mature…Thanks for your service sir!
I really don’t understand why we haven’t tied him up as a coach yet. He would be an ideal youth coach and then assistant manager. And hopefully one day he will be a good first team manager.
we lost cesc and signed arteta…an inferior player. we’ve never been competitive in the league or europe since.
Wenger brought Arteta in to stabilise the ship when he had to revamp the entire team. He has been excellent for us. But truth be told, Wenger has been generous to both Rosicky and Arteta keeping them an extra season. I mentioned last summer that we should let him go because age would only mean they would be largely unavailable given injuries prior. But Wenger is class and remembers his old servants which is more than I can say about certain segments of the fan base toward Wenger. Come this summer, aside from the two mention, we should seriously also… Read more »
Mikel Arteta is one of my absolute favourites and he gave everything for us. He came to us when we were at rock bottom and opposition teams knew that if you stopped Mikel you stopped Arsenal, we couldn’t win anything without him. He took on a new role in the team without complaint, and has never had a bad word to say about anything Arsenal. I was gutted for him when his last injury sidelined him again, and I’m really sad that his playing days seem to be over. I was hoping that he would get the job coaching the… Read more »
Can people please stop talking bollocks!
He was an average mid table player with a weak mentality. Where was his leadership when we were spiraling on a downward slope season after season, including this season?