Mikel Arteta ready to quit Arsenal for a return to Barcelona?

The Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has highlighted his possibility of leaving his post as the boss at the Emirates when the 40-year-old admitted that it is “inevitable” he will one day be sacked as Arsenal manager. This comes amid the speculation that the La Liga giants Barcelona are keeping tabs on the Spaniard.

There is no doubt that the Arsenal legend has enjoyed a sensational start to this season, guiding the north London side to the top of the English Premier League (EPL) table with 10 wins from their opening 12 fixtures which has since caused fans around the Emirates dreaming of a shock title triumph come the end of the campaign.

Though the three-time Premier League Manager of the Month may be the youngest boss in the EPL, but the former Manchester City number two is experienced enough to know just how quickly things can change in elite-level management. It is for that reason he has come to terms with the fact he’ll one day be axed from his post.

“As a manager, probably it’s the (biggest) fear of getting sacked,” Arteta confessed to Michael Calvin’s Football People podcast. “I made a very conscious decision the day I made the decision to become a coach – I said: ‘It will happen. Today, tomorrow, in a month’s time, in 10 years’ time. I don’t know when it will happen.’

“That cannot drive my emotion and this cannot be the reason why I do certain things or not. For me now the fear is to let people down.”

Meanwhile, it can be imagined that as the sentiment is moving, there might just be a small chance that Arteta jumps long before he is pushed amid interest from the first club he ever played for in La Liga titans Barcelona.

The 20-year-old Arteta left Barcelona in 2002 after coming through their academy

National Daily understands from the claim by Spanish outlet Sport that the former Arsenal captain who led the north London side between 2014 and 2016 is someone the Blaugrana hierarchy have reportedly marked as a ‘firm candidate’ to replace Xavi in the seasons to come.

Nonetheless, the same report has gone further to assert that Barcelona have no interest in parting ways with Xavi before the end of this season despite a disappointing Champions League group stage exit off the back of a summer with plenty of investment.

It has been confirmed by National Daily that Arteta has actually discussed rumours linking him with the Camp Nou hot seat previously when rumours reared their head early last year during the club’s presidential elections.

“There is always going to be speculation when there are elections in Barcelona. It’s a huge team and obviously, I was raised there as a player, and they’re always going to be linked,” Arteta conceded.

“But I’m fully focused on the job that I have to do here. We have a lot to do and I’m really enjoying it. I feel privileged to manage this football club and I’m extremely happy.”

Given he penned a contract extension at the tail-end of last season and the Gunners have since improved, it appears unlikely that Arteta will be angling for a move away.