Barcelona supporters are currently voting for the club’s next president, and leading candidate Joan Laporta wants to appoint Mikel Arteta as manager if he’s elected.
According to The Mirror, Laporta has his sights set on making Arteta the next Barcelona manager if his bid for the presidency is successful.
Arteta has a deep understanding of the club’s culture and playing philosophy, aided by his close relationship with Pep Guardiola.
He started his playing career at Barcelona but left in 2002 without making a single appearance for the first team.
He spent 11 years in English football with Everton and then Arsenal, before becoming Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City when he retired.
Arteta embarked on his first managerial role back at Arsenal in December 2019, winning the FA Cup at the end of his first season in charge.
There have been difficult periods since then, including a seven-game winless run in the Premier League, but Arteta remains highly regarded.
Barcelona have experienced a turbulent last couple of years, featuring disagreements between leading players and the club’s hierarchy, which culminated in president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his board of directors resigning in October.
Elections for a new president will be held this weekend, amid reports that Bartomeu has been arrested following a search and seize operation at the Nou Camp.
Joan Laporta is one of three candidates for the role, and is favourite to be re-elected having previously served as president between 2003 and 2010.
It was a period of great success under the management of Frank Rijkaard and then Pep Guardiola, with the club winning multiple trophies and establishing itself as the leading force in European football.
Ronald Koeman is currently in charge at Barcelona but was always seen as a short-term appointment, and could well be replaced this summer.
