Mikel Arteta has reportedly emerged as a target for Real Madrid to replace Carlo Ancelotti if the Italian departs the Santiago Bernabeu.
According to Fichajes, Real Madrid could look at Mikel Arteta to replace Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian remains linked with a move away, and nothing’s decided about his future yet. The report suggests the Spanish giants could sound out the Arsenal boss regarding taking over.
After a large period of turbulence, Mikel Arteta seems settled in his role at Arsenal. The Gunners boss did not arrive at the club at the best of times, with fans even calling for his head after a disastrous start to the previous season.
Since then, Arteta has turned things around in a massive way and has his side challenging for the Premier League title. In the latter stages of last season, Arsenal offered him a new contract, and the Premier League manager duly obliged by penning the new deal.
Arsenal will certainly hope for Arteta to stay and continue building the project alongside technical director Edu Gaspar. The fans certainly believe that the current project will take off to bigger avenues and want their former captain to continue leading away.
However, there are clubs in the market looking closely at Arteta to become their new manager. Manchester City have long remained linked with appointing the Premier League manager as Pep Guardiola’s successor. They could even wait a few years before bringing the Arsenal boss back to the club.
There was also reported interest from Barcelona, about which the press even asked Arteta around January. From his comments then, Arteta seemed content with life at Arsenal and pointed towards the future. However, the links are not going away, as Real Madrid are now linked with a move.
The reporting began after Rio Ferdinand commented on Arteta’s possible links with Real Madrid. He said, “I heard something,” Ferdinand said. “I heard that Real Madrid and your players will be coachless when they come knocking.
“Arsenal has to keep Arteta, above all, whatever. I heard that Ancelotti, Don Carlo, the eyebrow, could leave Real Madrid this summer and that Arteta is looking to go to Real Madrid.”
Real Madrid, indeed has a pull like no other club. And if history speaks, no manager or player has managed to turn down their overtures, barring a few. Carlo Ancelotti’s future remains in doubt following links to the Brazil job.
The Italian remains under consideration for the Brazilian role after Tite’s departure. Madrid would want a solid replacement if he takes up that role after the season, and Arteta might prove an exciting choice.
From the outside perspective, Arteta may want to continue at Arsenal and build on his project. There are no concrete reports about the move, but that might change in the summer. Arsenal fans will not want to see their manager leave at this stage of the project, but stranger things have happened in football before.
