Manchester City are tracking Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and admiring his work from afar.
With the immediate future of the Eastlands outfit up in the air, following an investigation from the Premier League over financial rule-breaking, Pep Guardiola's place as manager has been thrown into doubt.
The Catalan has previously stated that he would quit if it was proven that his bosses had lied to him. He is currently odds-on to leave his post before the start of next season.
While L’Equipe have reported Paris Saint-Germain's interest in Guardiola – despite him only signing an extension to his current City deal in November last year – it's believed that City themselves have Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta high up on a list to replace his former mentor.
The Athletic reported last year that the Citizens were keeping tabs on Arteta, with interest surely growing following the Gunners' surprise title challenge this season against City. There has, in fact, been mutual interest from Arteta in the past, too.
Arteta worked under Guardiola in Manchester after retiring from playing in 2016 – but The Mirror claimed that one of the reasons that Arteta left City for Arsenal in 2019 was that the Citizens didn't guarantee him a pathway to manage the club after Guardiola left.
The now-Gunners boss grew up idolising Guardiola as a player in the Basque Country and eventually played alongside him when he joined Barcelona's La Masia academy. City were unsure of giving the reins to an unproven coach whenever Guardiola decided to call it a day, though – something that wouldn't be a problem, now.
Whether Arteta would now consider leaving for City is another thing. The Basque boss holds loyalty as a core value and would likely prefer to stick with the club who have backed him through tough times managerially, rather than leave for a Premier League rival. With City potentially facing financial sanctions, too, they may not be able to offer Arteta anything close to the control and budget to make him consider leaving Arsenal.
The Mirror have previously reported that Guardiola is a target for the Netherlands job, The BBC have claimed that Brazil have approached him in the past and The Independent have stated that he asked to interview for the England job after Fabio Capello – but was turned down on the grounds of not being English himself.
More about Manchester City being charged by Premier League with breaking financial rules – and more Arsenal stories
After Manchester City were charged with breaking financial rules by the Premier League, one former financial advisor to City has claimed that the club must be relegated from division, if the allegations are found to be true.
Manchester City will be able to appeal sanctions to CAS, either, the body that they appealed to over their UEFA charges. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has in the past claimed that he will step aside, should it be proven that he has been lied to by the City ownership.
Arsenal's loss has opened questions as to why Mikel Arteta seems cursed away at Goodison Park. Former team-mate Emmanuel Frimpong stated before the game that the Gunners had to beat Everton to retain ambitions of the title.
