Mikel Arteta has emerged as the strongest rival to Max Allegri for the Arsenal job with the club moving closer to settling on a preferred candidate.

Arsenal have been working through a long list of names that included Luis Enrique, Patrick Vieira, Julian Nagelsmann, Joachim Low and Jorge Sampaoli, but that has now been cut.

Sources believe that the race to succeed Arsene Wenger is being led by ex-Arsenal captain Arteta and Allegri, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis and Josh Kroenke, son of majority shareholder Stan, now weighing up who to approach.

Telegraph Sport revealed in December how Arteta, who has been working as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, was viewed as a future Arsenal manager and Wenger takes charge of his last Gunners game against Huddersfield Town on Sunday.

City would fight to try to keep Arteta, who is treasured by Guardiola, and could offer him a new contract, but they are unlikely to stand in his way if he is offered the Arsenal job and expresses a desire to take it.