Barcelona are looking to appoint a new manager at the end of the season, and they have identified Mikel Arteta as a target.
According to Alex Pintanel, Barcelona have now established contact with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta over a summer move. Xavi Hernandez has confirmed that he will leave the Blaugrana at the end of the season, and the Catalan giants are looking for quality alternatives.
Mikel Arteta has done an impressive job at the North London club, and he should prove to be a superb addition to Barcelona. The Spaniard is widely regarded as one of the best young managers in European football, and he has the pedigree to manage the biggest clubs in the world. He has been linked with Real Madrid as well.
The opportunity to join Barcelona can be hard to turn down. Arteta will certainly be attracted to the idea of moving back to his homeland. However, he is unlikely to abandon Arsenal at this stage.
Mikel Arteta has no reason to leave
The Gunners have a formidable project, and they are pushing for major trophies consistently. Arteta will want to leave a legacy behind him, and he is unlikely to abandon the project at the North London club anytime soon. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona can convince him to take over at the end of the season after contacting him.
The Spanish manager has impressed with his tactical acumen and playing style at Arsenal, and there is no doubt that he could make a lasting impression at Barcelona as well. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops over the next few months.
Barcelona are unlikely to win the league title this season, and they need to bring in someone who can help them get back to the top of Spanish football. Managing a club like Barcelona can be hard to turn down for any manager, and it remains to be seen how Arteta reacts to the situation.
Arsenal fans will certainly hope that he turns them down and stays in London. Meanwhile, the Spanish outfit will need to plan for the future, and appointing one of the best young managers in the game would be the right decision.
