Former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has suggested that Mikel Arteta's record of achievement since being appointed by Arsenal in 2019 will give him his pick of jobs whenever he decides the time is right to leave the Emirates Stadium. One of those could be at Barcelona in the future, where Arteta made key strides in his formative years as a footballer.
Big clubs will be 'knocking' on Arteta's door
Mendieta, who turned out for Barcelona during a storied career that also took in defining spells at Valencia and Middlesbrough, doesn't expected Arteta to be looking for a new job any time soon. But there is a belief that he won't ever be short of offers.
"Whenever Mikel Arteta's time at Arsenal is up and he's looking for new experiences, big clubs will be knocking on his door," Mendieta told OLBG.
"The job he's doing at Arsenal and from now until the moment he leaves, which I'm assuming will be a long term, I'm sure there'll be more trophies in the cabinet. Like PSG, every season Arsenal can get better, get stronger and keep getting to the latter stages.
"Big clubs will be knocking on the door, Barca included, as well as other big clubs and even national teams, he will have a lot of offers on the table."
Hansi Flick's Barcelona contract runs until 2027 and the German coach is already 60 years of age, suggesting the Catalans could be looking for a new boss in the not too distant future.
AdvertisementAFPPremier League consistency vs limited trophies so far
Under Arteta, Arsenal have placed second in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, the club's best run in the competition since Arsene Wenger's streak of eight successive top two finishes came to an in 2005.
It is hugely impressive when Liverpool, for example, have been more erratic. But while the Merseysiders may have slipped to fifth in 2022-23, they won the title last season and the Gunners are still looking for a first league championship since the 2003-04 campaign. Meanwhile, Arteta himself hasn't won a major trophy since his first season in charge – the FA Cup in 2019-20.
Arteta's Barcelona connection
Barcelona could be a good fit for Arteta in the future. He was schooled in La Masia from the age of 15, forging friendships with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Victor Valdes, and went on to make 42 appearances for Barcelona B as a teenager, before establishing a senior career elsewhere.
As a newly-qualified coach cut from the famous Barcelona cloth, he was recruited by Pep Guardiola in 2016 to work on the backroom staff at Manchester City and remained there until interviewing for the Arsenal job towards the end of 2019.
Although he hails from San Sebastian in the Basque region on Spain's northern coast, Barcelona would still be a football 'homecoming' of sorts for Arteta.
Getty ImagesCould Fabregas succeed Arteta as Arsenal boss?
If Arteta were to leave, Arsenal could recruit another former club captain to take over: Cesc Fabregas. The 2010 World Cup winner has been leading the revolution at Como and is quickly making a name for himself in coaching after a stellar playing career. Mendieta is "sure" a Premier League future awaits Fabregas, even if he's happy at Como for now.
"I'm sure there's been some conversations. But he's happy at Como. I know he's happy because the project is key, he is the one deciding who comes and goes and he is bringing the culture and the environment," the two-time Champions League finalist said.
"I'm sure Premier League clubs have approached him, former clubs will have approached him and we'll see him in the Premier League sometime in the future.
"Would he suit Arsenal or Chelsea? It could be actually both. I think he's intelligent enough because he started to play in a way at Como and then he changed quickly. They also change the system within games. He was a very intelligent player and is a very intelligent coach.
"He would adapt to whatever he has. If he goes to Chelsea and he has 50 players, he can pick and choose the system he wants to play. If he goes to Arsenal he can pick the players that he wants. Judging right now, Arsenal looks more like the style of football that he would be playing."