Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has denied rumours that Real Madrid have approached him to replace Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, according to reports in Spain. After a fantastic season with the Gunners, Arteta has caught Real Madrid’s attention. With only 12 games remaining, the north London team leads the Premier League by five points above second-place Manchester City.
They are also favourites to defeat Sporting Lisbon in their Europa League round of 16 matchup since they advanced after winning Group A in the competition with a brilliant record of 5 wins out of 6 group games. With Arsenal on track to win their first league title since the ‘Invincibles’ campaign of 2003/04, Arteta’s work has caught the eye of Europe’s aristocrats Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta rejects the lure of succeeding Ancelotti at Real Madrid
After losing to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final and slipping nine points behind their bitter rivals in La Liga, Real Madrid officials are said to be dissatisfied with Carlo Ancelotti’s management style since the beginning of the year. In the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal match, Barcelona defeated Madrid 1-0, and it has been argued that Ancelotti is now operating on borrowed time.
On the other hand, Arteta is being considered as a possible alternative for Ancelotti, according to the Spanish news outlet Remontada Blanca. The Italian manager is under pressure in Madrid, and club president Florentino Perez is already looking for a replacement. Whether or not such is the case, Arteta is not willing to consider it. Questioned about the rumour on Wednesday during a press conference prior to Arsenal’s first-leg Europa League matchup against Sporting Lisbon, the Spaniard said:
“It’s things that managers or players can’t control what is written. What I can tell is that I’m fully focused on what I’m doing here and extremely proud and grateful to do what I’m doing in this football club. That’s it.”
After learning the ropes at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, Arteta, is in his first management post. Yet, it appears that Real Madrid has been impressed by the advancements he achieved in north London and the footballing philosophy he adopted with a youthful team. Arteta assumed his role as the Gunners’ manager in December 2019 replacing Unai Emery. He has already won the FA Cup in 2020 with Arsenal and picked 97 wins in his first 166 games in charge.
The 40-year-old is committed to the Gunners until June 2025, and he is not likely to think about leaving this summer as evident from the number of times he gushed about how much he loved the team. Also, Arteta has developed a thrilling attacking style of play in place at the Emirates and has rarely wasted a penny in the transfer market. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho, and Leandro Trossard, among others, have all made excellent contributions to the campaign.
While Ancelotti’s future seems uncertain, various managers have been linked to Real Madrid. According to reports, Ancelotti meanwhile, is the favourite to succeed Tite as head coach of Brazil’s national team if he gets the axe in the summer. The Italian’s contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires in 2024.