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Mikel Arteta confirmed as new Arsenal manager.
Former Gunners captain returns as manager after signing a three-and-a-half-year deal
Mikel Arteta has been confirmed as the new Arsenal head coach on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
The former Gunners club captain has left Manchester City, where he was assistant to Pep Guardiola, to return to the Emirates to take up his first managerial role. The 37-year-old made almost 150 appearances for Arsenal, and won the FA Cup twice with the north London club before retiring in 2016.
Arteta joined City shortly after Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad, and his coaching abilities have regularly been talked up, including by Guardiola and former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
Arteta will take the reins from another ex-Arsenal star, Freddie Ljungberg, who had been placed in interim charge following Unai Emery’s departure last month. Emery was shown the door in November, after just 18 months in charge, after a poor run of form stretching back to last season.
The Spaniard has left his role as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City to take the post with Arsenal on a three-and-a-half year contract.
Arteta’s appointment brings an end to Arsenal’s search for a new head coach, which began on November 29 when they sacked Unai Emery.
Former midfielder Freddie Ljungberg was placed in interim charge and will oversee the team for tomorrow’s game at Everton but, after earning one win in his five games, the Gunners have now moved to appoint Arteta on a permanent basis.
The Spaniard will be tasked with turning around Arsenal’s disastrous run of form in what is his first-ever managerial job.
“This is a huge honour. Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Arteta said. “We need to be competing for the top trophies in the game and that’s been made very clear to me in my discussions with Stan and Josh Kroenke, and the senior people from the club.
“We all know there is a lot of work to be done to achieve that but I am confident we’ll do it.
“I’m realistic enough to know it won’t happen overnight but the current squad has plenty of talent and there is a great pipeline of young players coming through from the academy.”
The 37-year-old comes with a glowing reputation as a coach, however, with the likes of Arsene Wenger, Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino all singing his praises.
City themselves wanted Arteta to stay and were disappointed with Arsenal’s lack of contact during their approach this week, but ultimately the club did not want to stand in the Spaniard’s way after he had been offered the chance to be a head coach.
News of Arsenal closing in on Arteta as their chosen candidate broke on Monday morning after pictures of Arsenal managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, and director of football operations, Huss Fahmy, visiting the former midfielder’s house on Sunday night emerged.
Prior to that a whole host of names were linked with the job – most notably Carlo Ancelotti, Massimiliano Allegri and Patrick Vieira.
Arsenal have, however, opted to go for Arteta after almost handing him the job when Arsene Wenger left in 2018 – only to hire Emery instead.
Arteta will have to work to turn around the Gunners’ dismal form this season, which has led to them being 10th in the Premier League and seven points adrift of Chelsea in fourth.
They have won just one game in their last 12, while they have not kept a clean sheet since October 6.
“I also want to thank Freddie Ljungberg for skilfully guiding us through the last three weeks.
“We all know there is a lot of work to be done to achieve that but I am confident we’ll do it.
“I’m realistic enough to know it won’t happen overnight but the current squad has plenty of talent and there is a great pipeline of young players coming through from the academy.”
Source: EveningStandard
