The Manchester City boss believes his No.2 will make a superb manager (Picture: Getty)

Pep Guardiola has backed assistant coach Mikel Arteta to become an excellent manager amid rumours linking him with a return to Arsenal, though hopes he will stay at Manchester City.

The Spaniard was interviewed for the Emirates job two summers ago following Arsene Wenger’s departure, losing out to Unai Emery, but is back in the frame after Arsenal’s five-game winless run in the Premier League.

Arteta is believed to be keen to speak to Arsenal should they part ways with Emery, though Guardiola is reluctant to lose him and believes he is a huge asset to City.

Pressure is mounting on Emery after a string of bad displays and fan backlash (Picture: Getty)

Questioned about the rumours linking Arteta with Arsenal, Guardiola said: ‘I think for my news Unai Emery is manager for Arsenal, so…




‘Of course he [Arteta] will be a manager sooner or later. If I was in his position, as an assistant coach as young as he is, always we will have that. Now we are going to finish this season and in the future I don’t know what is going to happen.’

On the suggestion that Arteta should be in no rush to become a manager, Guardiola continued: ‘I would like honestly for him to stay with us as long as possible. Not just Pep, Manchester City has an incredibly valuable person to work in this club for the future.

‘But personal life is personal life. Professional desires are professional, each one. Everyone, not just me, are more than satisfied to have him here, but what will happen at the end of the season I don’t know.’

On what makes Arteta such a good coach, and so in-demand, Guardiola said: ‘He was an incredible player, normally the holding midfielders they have a vision to see what happens all on the pitch.

‘When you are a striker you think only of goals, when you are a keeper to save it. But I think the holding midfielder is an incredible lesson during your period as a football player to learn what happens.

Arteta spent five seasons at Arsenal during his playing career and was club captain (Picture: Getty)

‘You don’t need to go to school, you read it [on the pitch], you learn it completely, and he was already so clever in that.

‘And more than that, he is an incredible human being and work ethic and works a lot. I said after a few months of working together, this guy will be a manager sooner or later. He is already a manager, he behaves as a manager, so that’s why we are satisfied to have him here.’

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