Where does Manchester City’s future lie without Mikel Arteta?
After losing highly-touted assistant coach Mikel Arteta to become the manager of Arsenal, the managerial future at Manchester City is as uncertain as ever.
With Mikel Arteta departing the bench at the Etihad to become the manager of Arsenal, the managerial future at Manchester City is now a serious doubt. If Pep Guardiola wants to stay in the position, he will be welcome as long as he wants and will be given the resources to compete. However, with incessant rumors of his impending departure, several names have arisen to take over should the Catalan leave the club.
Arteta was poised to be the natural successor to Guardiola at City, as he learned the club inside and out during one of its most successful eras. He values the same possession-based, free flowing style of football and could have served as a continuation of the Guardiola era. Should he have coaching success at Arsenal, however, where he played from 2011-2016, its difficult to see him returning to coach City given the midseason nature of his departure.
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Recent speculation has risen surrounding Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham manager. The Argentinian is the best manager available on the market and would succeed in Manchester, but I believe that he will not wait around without a job long enough to take over for Guardiola, even if he does have his eye on the position. Even perhaps more surprising is the meteoric rise of Brendan Rodgers, who has become one England’s hottest managerial names during his time at Leicester City and reportedly has the admiration of the City board.
Although these names as well as others would be good choices, the ideal situation would be for Guardiola to commit his long term future to the club with a contract extension. I believe he has a perfect managerial situation at the Etihad despite links to Bayern and Juventus and would continue to have success at the club.
With Arteta gone, the club will need to identify a clear succession plan, whether that is Guardiola continuing or another manager. City have one of the top jobs in Europe, and although losing an assistant with the potential to be one of the world’s best coaches is a tough blow, City can handle it.