Former Arsenal star Mikel Arteta has been linked with the Gunners managerial job if Unai Emery is sacked, and it’s reported Man City won’t stand in his way.
After their defeat to Leicester City at the weekend, Arsenal find themselves down in sixth place in the Premier League table having won just one of their last five outings.
SEE MORE: Video: Arsenal fan approaches MISERABLE Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for chat after Leicester defeat
That in turn leaves them eight points adrift of fourth-placed Man City, and so they could be staring at the threat of missing out on Champions League football yet again.
As per Sky Sports, it has been suggested that the Arsenal hierarchy have backed their Spanish tactician despite their poor form, although naturally they will also want to see an upturn in results sooner rather than later to make his position less precarious.
However, in the event that they do decide to make a change on the bench, The Sun report that the Gunners won’t have a problem in potentially trying to prise Arteta back to north London from the Etihad.
It’s suggested that the former midfielder won’t see any potential switch blocked by the reigning Premier League champions, who would prefer to see him go on and take a job that he wants to further his career rather than hold him back.
Time will tell if Arsenal do indeed come knocking, but that will ultimately depend on results moving forward and whether or not Emery can silence the critics and detractors and get his side moving in the right direction again.
Arteta, 37, joined the City coaching staff in 2016 and has been working closely with Pep Guardiola since. Meanwhile, he spent five years at Arsenal before calling time on his playing career, making 149 appearances for the club.
In turn, he’ll perhaps know the club inside out better than most in more recent times, and so it remains to be seen if he’s offered the opportunity to lead them forward if they deem Emery incapable of doing so.
