Exclusive: Mikel Arteta reveals how Pep Guardiola reacted to Arsenal approach when at Manchester City - 'Never felt ready'

Mikel Arteta has revealed how Pep Guardiola reacted to Arsenal's initial attempt to make him their manager in an interview with TNT Sports expert Ally McCoist for Ally's Social Club. Arteta served as the Spaniard's assistant between 2016 and 2019. However, Arteta says that he almost joined The Gunners as manager following the departure of legendary former boss Arsene Wenger in 2018.

Mikel Arteta has revealed how Pep Guardiola responded after Arsenal tried to make him their manager following the departure of Gunners legend Arsene Wenger.

Arteta says that his former mentor was fully supportive of him taking the opportunity to succeed Wenger back in 2018.

The Frenchman was replaced by Unai Emery in the end, with Arteta staying on as assistant manager at Manchester City until December 2019.

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Arteta eventually returned to The Emirates, where he enjoyed a successful spell in his playing days, but the Spaniard admits that he never felt truly ready to step out alone after working alongside Guardiola for so long.

"I never felt ready, Ally," Arteta told Ally McCoist in Ally's Social Club - which will be broadcast on September 16 on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ at 16:30 UK time.

"I was getting prepared, and as usual, with my job, I was obsessed, obsessed, and so passionate.

"I was putting all the hours in the world, I was by myself.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"The family was still living somewhere else, so imagine it was me and Pep 24/7. Okay, how can I help? And the second season, when Arsene [Wenger] left, already Arsenal came in and they were looking at all these candidates and having meetings.

"I said, 'listen, Pep, look at me, I haven't done anything. It's my second year with you here. So what do I do?'

"Pep was like, 'so you have to go? Because you are ready'.

"And I said, ‘really?’ He said ‘you have to go’. And at the end, it didn't happen and we stayed together another three years or something."

Arteta has transformed Arsenal’s fortunes since taking over from Unai Emery at the end of 2019.

The Gunners may have had to settle for second place in their last three Premier League campaigns, but they are now entering every season as genuine contenders to win the title.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Arteta took on the role of Guardiola’s assistant in July 2016, helping the club win Premier League titles during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 campaigns.

Arteta’s Arsenal made a fine start to the current Premier League season, beating Manchester United 1-0 on the opening weekend before cruising to a 5-0 triumph over Leeds.

However, they suffered a blow as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against champions Liverpool in their final game before the international break.

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Arteta believes that his former mentor was always very protective of him as he prepared for a career in management.

"He was always very, very protective of me," he added. "But he said, you need to fly. You know, I had to make that goal.

"He always gave me that confidence. That trust... to say, 'you have to go, go and do it. You need to do that.' And he knew how I felt about the club."

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