Mikel Arteta wants to be Barcelona manager amid 'big' Arsenal talks claim
Mikel Arteta wants to manage Barcelona in the future and top clubs will be interested in his services if contract talks with Arsenal continue into the new year.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that Arteta has aims of managing his first club in football.
Arteta is into the final year of his Arsenal contract and talks over a new deal have been ongoing for several months.
His new deal is expected to be finalised and announced soon, but fans remain concerned about any last-minute snags.
The 44-year-old could be approached by a wealthy club in the new year if fresh terms have still not been penned by that point.
Arsenal remain confident of tying him down, but doubts will remain as long as they have not confirmed his future at the club.
Mikel Arteta keen to manage Barcelona as Arsenal doubts remain
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and signed Arteta in his time there – thinks that the Arsenal boss would be interested in managing Barcelona or the Spanish national side.
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Arsenal want Arteta to sign an extension until 2033.
He is keen to return to Barcelona at some point in his managerial career, however, having spent his formative footballing years at the club between 1997 and 2002.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained: "'Confident' about him signing a new deal would be the right word, but there is one little asterisk I would put on that word. If things dragged on for whatever reason into January, there would be interest in Mikel and he would be on the market, particularly for some of the biggest Spanish clubs.
"Barcelona would be a big target for him in the future, or even the Spanish national team, but I’m confident that Arsenal get this all tied up. A deal until 2033 would make sense, but other options will open up if it does drag on.”
What has Arteta said about signing a new deal?
Arsenal have been focusing on the transfer window in the last few months, with the club now able to shift their attention to Arteta's situation.
He insisted to fans last month that they must not be worried about his contract, saying: "They [the fans] don’t have to worry about any of that because I want to be here, I’m extremely happy and I feel very grateful to work with the people that I work with.
"Whenever we have the possibility we will resolve that and that’s it. There’s always another priority, I think, and that’s the way we’ve been treating it.”