Today he is one of the most highly regarded and highest paid coaches in Europe, but his appointment to the Arsenal bench was by no means certain. In 2019, after the dismissal of Unai Emery, Mikel Arteta was not among the main names on the list of candidates selected by the leaders of the London club. New details on this matter come from a behind-the-scenes story related to the decision that would change the future of the “Gunners”, where initially two Italian coaches were at the top of the preferences.
Ancelotti and Allegri ahead of Arteta
When Arsenal were faced with the task of finding Emery's successor, the club considered several candidates with international experience. Among the most highly regarded names were Carlo Ancelotti and Massimiliano Allegri, two coaches who had already proven their ability to manage high-level teams and compete for major trophies. Also on the list of candidates was Mauricio Pochettino, who came after his experience at Tottenham. Arteta, on the other hand, was ranked lower. The main obstacle was his lack of experience as a first-team coach. Having worked on Pep Guardiola's staff at Manchester City, the Spaniard had yet to manage a club independently. This was an element that, at least initially, made his candidacy less favorable compared to that of already established coaches.
The twist after the conversation with Edu
The events are recounted in the book Arsenal: The Inside Story of Arsenal's Rebirth Under Mikel Arteta, written by journalist Sam Dean and announced for publication next week, more specifically on October 22, 2026. The book details the process that led the club to choose the former Spanish midfielder. The initiative to seriously evaluate the Spaniard Arteta was taken by several members of the Arsenal internal staff, who believed that he deserved an opportunity, despite his limited experience in managing a team. Their suggestions prompted Edu Gaspar, the Gunners' sporting director at the time, to contact him.
The first phone call lasted more than an hour. Later, the two met at the coach's house and it was that conversation that changed the Brazilian manager's assessment. Edu was impressed by Arteta's preparation, attention to detail and clarity of his footballing ideas. This impression convinced him that the Spaniard could be entrusted with a higher-level project.
The choice that changed the history of the "Gunners"
The decision to invest in Arteta was a gamble. The coach lacked the experience that Ancelotti and Allegri had gained, but Arsenal saw in him the qualities necessary to start a new phase. The first results quickly proved the club right. In 2020, during his first season, Arteta won the FA Cup, laying the foundations for the rebuilding of the team. In the following years, he steadily returned Arsenal to the top of the Premier League, transforming them into one of the main contenders for the title and managing to return them to the top of English football and to the Champions League final last season.
This behind-the-scenes look at how far the decision to appoint him was from being a foregone conclusion. If the board had only followed the path of the most established names, Arsenal's recent history could have taken a completely different direction. In the end, a conversation that overturned the initial hierarchy became decisive.
