Pep Guardiola backs 'incredible' Mikel Arteta to succeed him as Man City manager

James Robson @jamesrobsonES20 September 2019

Pep Guardiola has declared Mikel Arteta his potential successor at Manchester City.

Guardiola’s contract runs out at the end of next season and he has repeatedly claimed Man City would not be his final job in management.

When the Catalan does eventually walk away he will leave a daunting challenge for whoever takes over at the Etihad, having won five major trophies in the past two years - including back-to-back Premier League titles.

But he believes his ideal replacement may already be at the club in the form of his assistant Arteta.

The former Arsenal midfielder is highly admired by City’s hierarchy is one of the names earmarked as a future manager, along with former academy coach Patrick Vieira.

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Arteta was a frontrunner to take over from Arsene Wenger at the Emirates, only to lose out to Unai Emery. But Guardiola is convinced the Spaniard is a top manager in waiting.

Asked if the 37-year-old could step into his shoes, he said: “I’m pretty sure, yes. He will have success, yes.

“Sooner or later it’s going to happen. He’s a young, young manager, he’s 37, 38, he's so young, he has experience already to handle big players and teams and when it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.”

Guardiola enlisted Arteta as part of his extensive backroom team because of his Premier League knowledge.

Learning: Guardiola with his assistant Arteta in pre-season.
Getty Images

The pair had been friends during their time at Barcelona, where both were products of the Catalan giants’ famed academy.

The City manager said: “He has incredible work ethic, and he has a special talent to analyse what happens, and to find the solutions. We talk a lot about what he believes and feels. He helped me a lot.

“Especially in the first year, he knew the Premier League like, for example, in games against Stoke or whatever. He can tell me the players we will face better than myself, because he played against them and was in the Premier League for 10 or 11 years, that’s a long time and that is why he helped me a lot and he still helps me.

“He’s so happy when we win, but suffers when we don’t and that is why he tries to find a solution. He’s an incredible human being, with incredible values about what it means in the locker room and to be together.

Moving on? Pep Guardiola's contract expires in 2021.
REUTERS

“He is already an incredible manager and he’ll have incredible success in his future.”

City’s hierarchy have built the club around Guardiola’s vision – for a long time putting plans into place with a view to him eventually taking over.

Should he see out his contract, it would take his reign to five years - his longest-ever job in management.

What direction the club take after that will be fascinating, but an appointment such as Arteta would give them continuity.

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Guardiola added: “He was a holding midfielder too and he can read the situations. The best ones it’s like they play thinking what the team needs in every single moment and he was a master of that.

“He’s a guy who has this ability to see what happens. When you’re off the pitch and on the pitch it’s easier, he can do it. We see the football in a really quite close way.”

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