Pep Guardiola recommended Mikel Arteta to succeed him at Manchester City as he made it clear that the coach is ready to be a manager.
Arteta took his first non-playing role at the club when he joined Guardiola's backroom staff in 2016 and quickly impressed with his ability to understand the manager's messages and get them across to the players clearly.
Arsenal were interested enough in his potential to consider him as their next manager in 2018 before going with Unai Emery, but the decision to sack Emery has prompted fresh speculation over Arteta's future . Everton, another former club, are also looking for a new manager after parting company with Marco Silva.
City have not had any approaches and Guardiola would like Arteta to succeed him at the Etihad and said he is 'definitely able to', but the Catalan has a contract until 2021 and has not ruled out the prospect of extending his stay.
"I’m not a guy that puts a gun to the heads of my staff or players and says what they have to do," he told Sky Sports.
"We are human beings and everyone has dreams and desires. Hopefully he can stay this season and the next one – as long as possible in this club.
"That would be my dream, but Mikel has his own life and I will never say what he has to do.
"I arrived here and we were in touch about working together and the time we have spent together has been magnificent. I tried to help him and he has helped me a lot. He knows what I want and what the club wants."
