Manchester City were expected to tempt Arsenal with a huge bid for their star man after next season

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Former City defender Danny Mills says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is the ideal candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Guardiola enters the final year of his contract with City after securing their sixth Premier League title and fourth in a row in 2023/24. The Catalan coach has hinted that his tenure at the Etihad Stadium is coming to an end.

Guardiola, who achieved significant success with Bayern Munich and Barcelona before joining City, is set to hold talks with the club’s hierarchy in the coming period. The 53-year-old Spaniard, who has been at the club for eight years, is expected to leave within 12 months.

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City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has assured fans that the club will find the “right solution” for their managerial future. Replacing Guardiola, however, is admittedly a difficult task.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Mills, a former Man City and Leeds defender, believes Arteta is the best successor for a number of reasons. Talking to Victor Chandler, Mills said: “Mikel Arteta is the best man to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, without a shadow of a doubt. He has worked with Pep, knows how City play and can come in with the same level of intensity as him.

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“We know how intense Pep is and the pressure he puts on himself and his team to be the best every day. Pep is on fire and you can understand why. It’s like trying to replace Jurgen Klopp, Arsene Wenger or Sir Alex Ferguson. Those trainers have been so successful because they are so unique. It’s almost impossible to replicate that style of play and intensity.

“The way City play, the style, it’s all down to Pep. And if you look at what happened to Barcelona after he left, those players started to leave the football club and they were never the same. The City hierarchy must be looking for a successor now, and I’m sure they are. There are plenty of coaches who win in the City Group, for example.

“It’s a concern for City, but when you look at what they’ve done in the past, the senior figures they’ve brought in to manage the academy and recruitment, you have to trust them and hope there’s a good solution . succession plan.”

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