MIKEL ARTETA is on the brink of accepting the mission to revive Arsenal.
The ex-Gunners midfielder will today hold a final interview with director Josh Kroenke — son of owner, Stan.
Arsenal are set to appoint former skipper Mikel Arteta as their new managerCredit: Rex Features
Manchester City No 2 Arteta, 37, is expected to be offered a £5million-a-year deal and could be unveiled later this week.
Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham and chief contract negotiator Huss Fahmy were pictured leaving Arteta’s Cheshire home in the small hours of yesterday morning.
They had dashed north on Sunday night immediately after watching City demolish Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates.
City were unimpressed that none of the Arsenal chiefs mentioned their plans to approach Arteta at Sunday’s game.
Chief executive Ferran Soriano, director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief operating officer Omar Berrada were all in the directors’ box at the Emirates.
And City will demand compensation if they do chose to go for Arteta.
Venkatesham and Fahmy spent more than two hours at Arteta’s home before being pictured getting into a people carrier at 1am.
Arteta will meet with Gunners chief Josh Kroenke about taking charge of the North London sideCredit: Getty – Contributor
And the fact that it was the money men who were doing the talking suggests the club are already discussing transfer budgets and salary offers with their former midfielder.
Kroenke was at the game on Sunday and has been leading a complicated recruitment process which involves sounding out as many as a dozen potential contenders to replace Unai Emery, who was sacked at the end of November.
But Arteta has always been top of their hitlist after getting the thumbs up from technical director Edu and head of football Raul Sanllehi.
Meanwhile, Paul Merson branded Arsenal’s move for Arteta as a “big gamble”.
The Gunners legend said: “To ask someone with no managerial experience to take charge in the current circumstances at Arsenal is a big gamble.
“But there are also massive question marks over his credentials, massive questions. I cannot make the case for Arteta because he’s never managed before, yet someone at Arsenal can. How can you do that?
“I want to know who is upstairs at Arsenal saying this is a good appointment. From the club’s perspective, it’s clueless.
“Other than the fact he won’t get lost on the way to training, I don’t know what else he brings to the table.
“It’s all well and good saying he’s worked under Pep Guardiola, but let’s be honest, Guardiola would struggle managing this Arsenal team.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
