Arsenal: Mikel Arteta emerges as shock Barcelona managerial contender

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has emerged as a shock contender to become Barcelona manager if Ronald Koeman is sacked from his position, who was drafted in primarily as a stop-gap last summer.

An indifferent campaign for La Blaugrana has seen them slip behind Atletico Madrid in the race for the league title, while their Champions League campaign is all-but over in the last 16 after a crushing 4-1 first leg defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona will soon hold presidential elections and Joan Laporta is among the favourites to secure another stint at president, having previously held the position between 2003-2010.

But two matches ago, Mikel Arteta’s role as Arsenal manager was deemed under serious threat, with progression to the Europa League last 16 hanging in the balance and a torrid Premier League campaign leaving them languishing in mid-table.

Mikel Arteta emerges as shock contender to take over at Barcelona as presidential candidate targets Arsenal manager

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang‘s dramatic winner over Benfica and a roaring comeback victory over Leicester have altered the mood considerably, as the signs of progression shown in north London since Christmas continue to offer a clear insight into Arteta’s blueprint for the Gunners.

Despite much criticism this season, Catalan radio station RAC1 report that the prospective new president wants to bring in his own manager, with Laporta setting his sights on Arteta as club legend Xavi continues to distance himself from the idea of returning to the dugout.

The situation at Camp Nou is dire despite the plethora of talent on the club’s books, with close to €1.2bn worth of debt and years of poor recruitment and catastrophic decisions from the board room casting a dark cloud over the legendary outfit’s future.

Arteta, a La Masia graduate, has overseen a dramatic change of culture at Arsenal, one of the endearing qualities in Laporta’s eyes who will seek a similar overhaul at Barça. Furthermore, his prior connection with Pep Guardiola and the brand of football he wants to play also makes him an ideal candidate.

After the faith put in him as both a manager and person by the club, Arteta leaving would feel like an abandoning of the ship, which makes it welcome news that Goal have weighed in on the news and called it out as tripe. Speculation for the sake of speculation, it would seem.

One person who could swap London for Catalonia is Hector Bellerin. The Mirror claim Laporta has an agreement in place with his representatives to negotiate a deal with Arsenal come the summer as an exit looms.