Mikel Arteta Agrees Deal To Join Manchester City

Former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has agreed a deal to join Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, according to The Mirror.

Following Arsenal’s final league game of the 2015-16 season against Aston Villa, Mikel Arteta hinted that he was set to hang up his boots and pursue his further career as a football coach.

The 34-year-old was quoted as saying: “I am going to leave (it open) by one per cent because in football one per cent is a lot and things can twist very quickly. But I have different options now to be related to football which I am very grateful for. It is very unusual to have opportunities at this level.

“That made me think it was probably time (to retire) and the way I have been watching football in the last few months – or probably over a year – it was not as a player, it was more as a coach. Then you have to think about it.”

A few days after his unofficial retirement announcement, Arteta revealed that he had three incredible options to kick-start his coaching career, by stating: “I don’t want to say clubs but I have three very different options and I am very proud because it is not common. I have so much respect for this club (Arsenal), what they think about me and what they have shown in the last few weeks that they want to do with me, that I cannot talk about any other things.”

As per the English media, the three offers came from Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City.

And now, it looks like the Spanish midfielder has made his choice, and has decided to join his fellow compatriot Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, thereby rejecting the two North London clubs.

Arteta will be joining Guardiola’s long-term coaching staff that consists of Domenec Torrent (assistant manager), Lorenzo Buenaventura (fitness coach), Carles Planchart (head video analyst and scout) and Manel Estiarte (Pep’s personal assistant). This team will officially take charge at City on the 1st of July.

The Mirror‘s report also states that the first task Arteta will be assigned to following his arrival in Manchester will be to convince John Stones – who currently plays for the Spaniard’s former club Everton – to join the Citizens.