Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reveals he turned down Newcastle job in the summer

Arteta only joined the Gunners in late 2019.

And he has revealed now that he could have been at Newcastle.

Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager in December and has overseen tentative progress in north London. It is the Spaniard’s first senior coach in management, having turned down a number of opportunities in the past. Newcastle approached Arteta with a view to replacing compatriot Rafael Benitez at the end of last season but he opted to stay as Manchester City assistant instead.

“I was considering a situation at Newcastle United that could change my professional and personal life. I had to put everything on the table to make that decision. I made the decision to stay where I was at the time”, he told a press-conference.

Arteta believes Newcastle made the right choice by bringing in Steve Bruce: “I believe that Newcastle are happy,” he added. “What Steve has brought to the club has been really, really good. The performances and results, compared to where they were last year, they are above any expectation.