Ex-Manchester City defender Danny Mills says his former club should look to appoint Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to replace Pep Guardiola.
With it looking increasingly likely that Guardiola will leave when his contract expires next year, Mills says Arteta is the clear favourite to succeed him in the dugout at the Etihad:
“Mikel Arteta is the best man to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, without a shadow of a doubt. He’s worked with Pep, he knows the way City play and he can come in with the same level of intensity as him.”
Arteta was Guardiola’s assistant for three and a half years before leaving for Arsenal in 2019 so his return would make for a very smooth transition.
Do City have any chance of appointing Arteta?
It should be pointed out that the Spaniard has just a year left on his contract with the Gunners. There have been reports in recent weeks that he is likely to sign a new deal but he hasn’t put pen to paper yet.
While most experts still believe Arteta will commit his long-term future to his current club, the longer contract talks go on for, the more speculation there will be about his future.
Who else could City consider as Guardiola’s successor?
Another standout candidate for the job is believed to be Girona boss Michel. He guided his team to an unlikely third-place finish in La Liga last season and he has been tipped as a future City head coach.
The fact that Girona are inside the City Football Group would certainly help negotiations if he was chosen for the job.
Another alternative would be Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann. The German has stated that Guardiola is his “role model” in the past and he could potentially follow in his idol’s footsteps by moving to Manchester.