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  • Updated: December 18, 2019

"Arteta May Struggle At Arsenal" - Guardiola

Arteta May Struggle At Arsenal - Guardiola

 

With Arsenal seeming likely to appoint former player Mikel Arteta as their new coach, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, for whom the Spaniard currently works as an assistant coach, has hinted he may find it difficult to turn a "struggling" Arsenal around.

Arteta has been strongly linked to the position after Arsenal's managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, was seen leaving his home some days ago. Although Guardiola is in no doubt over his assistant's managerial skills, he has cast some doubt over whether any manager can help change the fortunes of a Gunners side currently sitting 10th in the Premier League at the moment.

“I think Arsenal [are] always one of the best teams of the last 20 years,” Guardiola said. “When Arsene [Wenger] took over the team, he raised the club to another level, and now they are struggling a little bit the last years.

READ ALSO: "Don't Blame Ljungberg For Arsenal's Struggles" - Pepe

“When the club takes a decision to replace the manager or buy players it’s always to rise to be better. Whether it’s going to happen or not, I don’t know.

“You know my opinion about Mikel. He’s a professional human being and a person, I don’t have doubts about that.”

Guardiola also remains adamant that his relationship with Arteta is rock solid despite the furore surrounding the 37-year-old's immediate future.

“Mikel was honest with me,” Guardiola said. “Arsenal - we were there two days ago. They were talking with our sporting director, the CEO and didn’t say anything.

“I don’t know if the meeting was at one at night because they didn’t want to make it public, but in the end it was public.

“I think Arsenal want to do the best thing possible. Sometimes it’s not easy to handle this kind of situation. We cannot deny that all the clubs around the world make behind the scenes the first contact to try to avoid the clubs that are in charge.

“All I can say from what I’m concerned about is that Mikel was clear with me and that’s all. Perhaps there is a problem with the chairmen and the CEOs - they have to talk to each other.”

Guardiola conceded Arteta may struggle to turn down the chance for his first head coach role and declared he won't stand in his way should he decide to leave.

“It is a good argument. Why not [go]? It is uncomfortable for me. It is a question for Mikel, I am not in his brain," Guardiola said.

“We talk about it a little bit, but his feelings are his feelings. He knows we are delighted to work with him. Hopefully, he is delighted to work with us. We would like to continue, but it is not in our hands.

“I said many times, it’s the same with the players if they have other desires or wishes whatever, what can we do? We are not going to tell him, ‘stay, stay stay,’ if he doesn’t want to stay.

“He knows exactly what we think about him, at the club, after that, we cannot do more. I think the club has done everything and we cannot do it anymore.

“If he stays I’d be happy, incredible because we all work together really well. Hopefully, he can feel the same as me or with us.

“If he decides to move I’ll wish him all the best, for him, his family and for his professional future. I will beat him! That’s a joke. The best of luck.”

Meanwhile, Guardiola will be preparing his team as they look set to take on league one side, Oxford, in the quarterfinals of the Carabao cup later tonight.

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