He now has the ear of City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain and is seen as the man responsible for so many academy graduates making the first-team squad. That does not preclude external candidates from taking on roles but City believe that a good knowledge of the inner workings of the club is important.Īs one example, Jason Wilcox was named academy director in 2017, five years after joining the club and spending time as under-18s coach and head of academy coaching. They are reviewing their already-strong footballing structure and considering how the club will transition to life without Guardiola and the army of staff that moved to Manchester with him.Ĭlub officials have also spoken of a desire to hire from within at all levels. A week ago, he said he was open to staying for even longer.īehind the scenes, City are planning ahead. He has insisted he will not, and sources close to the Catalan have told The Athletic that he is already planning for next season, which would take him up to the end of his current contract. There are persistent whispers that he will leave at the end of this season. It is almost impossible to call what will happen with Guardiola’s future. Perhaps a serious offer from one of his former clubs would change that stance but these days, he would not only have to weigh up the pros and cons of the opportunities immediately in front of him, but the big job a little further down the line. After all, this is only his fourth season as a full-time coach. He does want to become a Premier League manager in his own right, but - as of the end of September, anyway - he also believes he has plenty to gain by staying put for a little while longer and learning the trade a little bit more. There is also the fact that Arteta feels loyal to Guardiola and his fellow coaches in Manchester. The decision-makers at Arsenal and Everton are now scouring Europe for new men to take them forward, and as a former player for both, Arteta will be an attractive proposition.īut sources close to the City coach insist he has not said anything at all about moving on in the past week or so.Ī move away does not seem to be on the agenda at the moment, which will be no surprise if you go by Guardiola’s public declarations, as he said recently that the band will stay together until the summer at least. In the summer, he gave serious consideration to the Newcastle job, and there were suggestions he could be in the frame for Brighton. The end of the Guardiola era is not exactly in sight but plans are being made for a transition when it is eventually needed, and Arteta can start to think about opportunities that lie a little closer to home.
The Pep Guardiola era had just kicked into full swing at Manchester City, with a first league title in the bag and a new contract that would tie the manager to the club for the next three years. Eighteen months ago, when he came so close to replacing Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, it was by far the most attractive option on the table for a man who is determined to become a manager in the near future. Mikel Arteta can afford to be a bit more choosy these days.