Guardiola believes Arteta would have been his pure successor at Manchester Metropolis – had he not left for Arsenal. Requested if there was ever a risk of Arteta succeeding him, Guardiola stated: “I’m fairly certain if I’d have left earlier than.
“He could be right here and he could be the perfect, completely. However I prolonged the contract, I’m sorry, and he didn’t wait, so it couldn’t occur, however positively [yes].”
Guardiola stated he at all times sensed that Arteta, who spent the ultimate 5 years of his enjoying profession at Arsenal earlier than retiring in 2016, held a particular affection for the north London membership and was by no means going to reject them after they got here calling.
“I’m not a man to say, ‘No, you need to stick with me’. Everybody has goals,” the Catalan stated. “I do know he went to his membership, the group he goals of. He’s a supporter [of Arsenal], for the very fact he performed there, he was a captain there. He loves the membership.
“I keep in mind once we had been collectively right here [at City] once we rating objectives he jumps rather a lot and celebrates – besides one group. One group each time we rating a objective, I bounce, look again, and he was sitting there. It was Arsenal.
“It was that second I stated, ‘That man likes Arsenal’. Like me, coaching right here or Barcelona if I’m coaching as assistant and Barcelona name me, I’ll go. My membership.”
