According to Catalan radio station RAC1, Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on his radar as a potential replacement for Ronald Koeman.
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The La Liga giants are holding an election this weekend in order to bring in a permanent successor to former president Josep Bartomeu, and Laporta is widely seen as the favourite to emerge as the winner.
He is eyeing a second stint as Barcelona president, and key changes could be made if he is elected.
Current manager Koeman could be asked to leave at the end of the season, and it appears that Laporta wants the Arsenal boss to replace him.
Arteta is a product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia, and he is seen as someone who could bring an attractive style of play that produces results and trophies to the Camp Nou.
Laporta appointed current Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as Barca’s manager back in 2008, and the decision proved to be a masterstroke.
It was seen as a gamble at the time as Guardiola’s only managerial experience was with the Barcelona youth team. Laporta is looking to make a similar move 13 years later, and Arsenal could find it hard to hold on to Arteta if he comes calling.
The Gunners boss was Guardiola’s assistant at Man City and he has learnt a thing or two about the Catalan’s methods.
Arteta can establish himself as one of the best managers on the planet with the right crop of quality players and financial backing in the transfer market, and Barcelona would provide him with that.
There is also regular Champions League football, a chance to win major silverware every season and the opportunity to return home.
Laporta winning the election on Sunday could be the start of plenty of changes at the Catalan outfit, and the chance to manage Barcelona and a certain Lionel Messi could be too tempting for Arteta to turn down.
In other news, Arteta has sent a message to Gabriel Martinelli.
