Mikel Arteta has hinted that he may have withdrawn from the race to be Arsene Wenger's successor when the Frenchman left Arsenal in 2018.
Former Arsenal club captain Arteta, now Pep Guardiola's assistant manager at Manchester City, was among the frontrunners for the job at the Emirates Stadium after the Frenchman brought his two decade tenure to a close in May of last year but the Gunners would ultimately choose Unai Emery.
football.london understands that Arteta was among 10 candidates interviewed for the job and it was widely believed at the time that he had emerged as Ivan Gazidis' first-choice only for the then-CEO to opt for the more experienced option of Emery, who had previously managed Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain.
However when discussing interest in him from both Arsenal and Newcastle, who attempted to appoint him as a successor to Rafael Benitez, Arteta indicated that it may have been his choice to exit the process.
"Sometimes, I was about to leave, but I stopped myself," Arteta told Spanish radio station SER Catalunya when asked about possible approaches by Arsenal and Newcastle.
"The first [time] was different, the second was mostly me."
The 37-year-old is known to have received the backing of Wenger for the Arsenal job, as did Patrick Vieira. However his comments appear to indicate that succeeding Guardiola at Manchester City is a more realistic option for Arteta.
"There have been some things, but the decision I have made is that I am very happy where I am, I feel very valued and fulfilled," he added. "The road will continue here."
Under Guardiola's management and with the support of Arteta Manchester City have emerged as one of Europe's preeminent footballing forces, winning the 2017/18 Premier League with a tally of 100 points and holding off the challenge of Liverpool the following season. However the continent's biggest prize continues to elude them.
"A Champions League is decided by very small details that are sometimes not in your hands," Arteta said.
"And those that are in your hands are sometimes down to the players, the efficiency and dynamics of the group, competing in all competitions, being alert and taking the group to the end of the season with the best conditions. From there you need to have that bit of luck you need to reach a Champions League final.
"For us the value of the Premier League here is unquestionable, after the rivals we have faced to win, from the challenge Liverpool gave us last year, and they will push us this year again.
"Premier Leagues have been won before we arrived but we we have not had the consistency we have achieved. But it is the ambition to be able to do something that we believe we are close to."
