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Arsenal will be making a huge mistake if they ignore fate and let Everton snap up Carlo Ancelotti .

That’s according to former ­Gunners star Emmanuel Petit , who is adamant the Italian is the only available manager to fit the bill to replace Unai Emery in the Emirates hotseat.

Petit said: “I’m not surprised. We’re two weeks on from Emery being sacked and Arsenal still haven’t got a new manager.

“In this period of the season, it’s not easy to find a manager, a good one. Most of them are already working.

“But we’ve seen in the past few days that Ancelotti has been fired from Napoli, so it’s one of those that, when you see that kind of profile on the market, you must ask yourself the question, ‘Is he the good one?’

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

“Ancelotti would be, right now, the perfect answer for Arsenal. It’s very rare to see a top manager like him ­getting fired in the ­middle of the season.

“It’s a coincidence and sometimes destiny tries to show you the way to go and you have to be open to it.

“He is one of the top managers in the world, he’s available and he’s on the market.

“I know he is in talks with ­Everton as well, but I’m pretty sure, if Arsenal do as good a job, he’d be more than happy to be the ­manager of Arsenal.

(Image: SSC NAPOLI via Getty Images)

“In the meantime, the question I ask myself is, ‘What kind of ­manager would be happy to take Arsenal’s situation right now?’

“The situation has got worse and worse, season after ­season, so you need a ­really top manager to handle the situation right now.

“And, for the ­moment, the only one on the ­market and ­available is ­Ancelotti. ­Everywhere he went, Ancelotti had success, except with Napoli.

“He is respected so much by the players for all of his experience and all of his years in the game.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“At Chelsea , in Italy, in France even with Paris Saint-Germain, he left big memories for the players. He improved a lot of them and won many trophies. He has so much experience.

“I still believe Emery has ­qualities, but not for a club like Arsenal, because he couldn’t speak English and, when you go to the Premier League, you have to.

“Ancelotti has everything ­required to be a top manager and if you listen to all of his former players, any of them, it’s kind of the same as Arsene Wenger.

“Most players will tell you good things and it’s the same with ­Ancelotti.”

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

When Emery was initially fired, Petit championed his old Arsenal and France midfield partner ­Patrick Vieira for the role, but ­Ancelotti’s availability has forced a rethink.

Petit added: “Patrick was my No.1 choice and I did really think that. But now Ancelotti is on the market and in the meantime ­Patrick needs to improve more as a manager.

“He is still a young manager, what he is doing, step by step, is a good thing, the right thing, but he needs to improve more and more.

“Experience, the relationship with the players in the dressing room, it’s quite difficult ­sometimes with the new generation. He needs to get more experience.”

What about Petit, would he ever fancy management?

He said: “Football is one of my passions, for sure, but, to be ­honest, I prefer life and I’m really enjoying my life.”

Emmanuel Petit is an ambassador for Paddy Power News. To read more visit https://news.paddypower.com/