Mikel Arteta Hired as Manchester City Coach: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Mikel Arteta has joined Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City, the former Arsenal captain announced on Sunday. 

Arteta brings a wealth of experience to City after a fine playing career. He began with Barcelona before enjoying spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton and finally Arsenal, where he was contracted until the end of the 2015-16 season. 

With the Gunners, he won the FA Cup on two occasions. But you suspect it’s his upbringing in the Barcelona youth setup, a privilege Guardiola also enjoyed, that prompted the new City boss to bring Arteta to the Etihad Stadium.

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Additionally, as the Liverpool Echo’s Greg O’Keeffe noted earlier in the year, Arteta was tipped for big things away from the field:

Indeed, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised the attributes of the 34-year-old last year, insisting he would make a fine manager.

“Mikel has a huge influence even when he is not playing,” the Frenchman told the club’s official website. “He is super conscientious, and every morning two hours before training he prepares and that is absolutely right. Just through his behaviour, his focus on getting everything right in the team, he has a huge influence.”

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John Cross of the Daily Mirror reported that both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur offered Arteta the chance to be part of their backroom teams, as he is viewed as an “outstanding future managerial prospect.” Cross added that “one of his first tasks might be to try and smooth a passage with his former club Everton as City try to sign John Stones from Goodison Park.”

While it’s unclear just how much influence the coach will have when it comes to transfers, Arteta is clearly a student of the game and blended technique and tenacity at his very best as a player. Those traits will be key to Guardiola as he acclimatises to English football. For Arteta, this is an exciting first step in his endeavours off the field.