Could Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta be Barcelona’s next coach?

As players, there were a lot of similarities between Xavi and Mikel Arteta. They are of the same generation, Xavi being a couple of years older. Both were promising stars in Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia. Both of them, naturally gifted, stylish midfielders - there was always a sense of anticipation, that something was going to happen, whenever either of them got the ball. But there was a surplus of talented midfielders at Barcelona at the time and not enough room for both. Mikel left to join PSG in December 2000 while Xavi slowly but steadily carved out his own niche at Barça.

Xavi and Arteta as coaches

Twenty years on, there are parallels in their coaching careers. Both are relatively young coaches but with vast knowledge of the game together with the experience they have soaked up after having worked along the best in the business. Xavi played alongside and was later coached by Pep Guardiola. Mikel was personally handpicked by Guardiola to be his right-hand man at Manchester City - a position he held from 2016 until 2019 when he decided it was time to fly solo and took on the Arsenal job. But Pep’s influence has clearly rubbed off on both of them and the amount of expertise and know-how that he must have passed onto them is immeasurable.

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Arteta’s first two seasons in the Arsenal job were decent enough, the team finished eighth in the table and lifted the FA Cup. But it has all come together for the Basque coach this season. Under Arteta’s guidance and boosted by a handful of shrewd summer signings, Arsenal are perched top of the Premier League table on 31 points, two points clear of Guardiola’s City. Arteta was named Premier League Manager of the Month for August and is one of the candidates for October’s award.

Xavi meanwhile was coaxed back to Camp Nou last year in a last-ditch effort to revive a team that is starting to age with the club at the point of financial ruin. He took over the reins in November 2021 with the team mid-table in ninth. Under his stewardship, Barça lost just four league games and ended the season as runners-up. The team were eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage for the first time in two decades and transferred to the Europa League, were they lost 3-4 on aggregate to Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter finals.

Barcelona’s failures in Europe

Barça are still performing well in LaLiga, flying high in second place just one point behind Real Madrid. But they were dumped out of the Champions League at the group stage for the second year running and that has put Xavi’s position in question.

Whether Barcelona would consider sacking Xavi is another matter but the rumour mill continues to churn out names of possible replacements, one of which is Arteta. What are the chances of Arteta leaving Arsenal to take the Barcelona job if Xavi is handed his notice? Would he be willing to quit a project he has dedicated so much time to and how would he feel about leaving London where he seems settled with his family? The way things are going, his team will be back in the Champions League next season - and that might be just the minimum of the Gunners’ achievements.

Arteta’s contract with Arsenal

Arteta renewed his contract with the Gunners back in May, committing until 2025. When asked about the possibility of returning to Barcelona, the city he left in 2000, he said, “What I can say is that I’m happy and proud to be where I am. Barcelona, now, they are on a really good path. They have a phenomenal coach - a coach that has been an absolute legend in that club and lifted the whole place. You have to be very respectful of that.”