Pep Guardiola has told everyone to reach a quick decision on Arteta’s future.
Asked if he wants a decision to be made soon, Guardiola said on Tuesday: “Yes, I think so. It’s going to happen quick. I don’t know [if it will happen before the end of the week]. Tomorrow we travel to Oxford, so I don’t know.”
Guardiola said: “We will move forward. We are going to prepare the next game. We are going to reschedule a little bit the position but we are talking about a ‘hypothetic’.
“[Arteta] knows the desire and what we would like but after that, if finally he decides to leave for another club, we will make a decision in that moment of what we have to do.
“In this moment we prepare for the game and the team that is going to play [on Wednesday], the starting 11, and he prepares his part of the training, as always we have done in the last three-and-a-half years.”
“I don’t know. I think Arsenal was always one of the best teams of the last 20 years,” Guardiola said when asked if Arteta can take Arsenal to the level City are at.
“When Arsene [Wenger] took over the team, he raised the club to another level and now they are struggling a little bit the last years.
“When the club takes a decision to replace the manager or buy players it’s always to rise to be better. Whether it’s going to happen or not, I don’t know.
“You know my opinion about Mikel. If he stays I’d be happy, incredible, because we all work together really well – hopefully he can feel the same as me or with us.
“If he decides to move I’ll wish him all the best, for him, his family and for his professional future. I will beat him – that’s a joke! The best of luck.”
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