Barcelona line up Arteta to replace Xavi

FT Desk

• 1 Nov 2022 15:25 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona admire Mikel Arteta's work at Arsenal and have the Spaniard lined up as Xavi's successor at Camp Nou.

Areta was a youth player at Barcelona between 1997 and 2002 before his playing career took him to PSG, Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton and, ultimately, Arsenal.

His ties with the Barca school of thought stayed strong into his coaching career, and he spent three years between 2016 and 2019 as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City before returning to Arsenal as manager in December 2019.

READ: Guardiola's third favour to Arteta to solve Arsenal's midfield problem

Premier League finishes of eight, eight and fifth have followed in the three seasons since, but this term Arteta has steered the Gunners to the top of the league, two points clear of City after 12 games played.

Will the Barca job become available?

Things haven't been going quite so swimmingly for Xavi at Barca this term. Only one point off Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, the Blaugrana are already out of the Champions League at the group stage despite spending north of €150 million on players this summer.

Robert Lewandowski - a €50m arrival from Bayern Munich - has scored five goals in five European games this season, but defeats to Bayern and Inter Milan mean that Europa League football, and significantly less income, will be theirs after Christmas.

READ: Xavi's 'dream' front three at Barcelona revealed

Accordingly, Xavi is under pressure, despite winning 25 major honours as a player with Barca between 1998 and 2015, and Arteta has been identified as a potential replacement.

"[Barcelona] don't just like Arteta's football, but also his dressing room management," report Catalan daily, Sport. "He didn't hesitate with former star [Pierre-Emerick] Aubemeyang before kicking him out of the club. On top of that, he has a close working relationship with [Barca directors] Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff."

Aubemayang fell out with Arteta and left for Barca February, top-scored with 13 goals in all competitions and then left for Chelsea in the summer. Now, Arteta could be set to make the first part of that journey himself.