08 March 2023 , 20:53
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Mikel Arteta has dismissed speculation in Spain that Real Madrid want to bring him in as a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti this summer.
Arteta is leading Arsenal on a wonderful campaign, with the Gunners five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal are on course to win their first title since the famous Invincibles side of 2003/04 – and their success has attracted the attention of rival clubs.
Gunners boss Arteta is in his first managerial position after learning the ropes under Pep Guardiola at City. But it seems the progress he has made in north London and style of football he has implemented with a young squad has impressed Real Madrid.
Spanish outlet Remontada Blanca has reported that Arteta is being eyed as a replacement for Ancelotti. The Italian manager is under pressure in Madrid and president Florentino Perez is already on the lookout for a new manager.
Whether that is the case or not, Arteta is not interested in entertaining it. Asked on Wednesday about the rumour in his press conference ahead of the first leg of Arsenal’s Europa League last-16 tie against Sporting Lisbon, he said: “It’s things that managers or players can’t control what is written.
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"What I can tell is that I’m fully focused on what I’m doing here and extremely proud and grateful to do what I’m doing in this football club. That’s it."
Mikel Arteta batted away a question about Real Madrid (Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Arsenal struggle to hold onto Mikel Arteta if they win the league this season? Comment below.
Arteta has been Arsenal manager since December 2019, when he took over from Unai Emery. He has won 97 of his 166 games in charge so far, winning the FA Cup in 2020.
The 40-year-old is under contract with the Gunners until June 2025 and will surely not be considering moving on this summer. He penned that contract last summer, when he spoke glowingly of his love for the club.
"I’m excited, grateful and really, really happy today,” he said at the time. "When I spoke to Josh [Kroenke] he could see the club at the same point and he wanted to take the club the way I wanted to do it.
Carlo Ancelotti is under pressure at Real Madrid (AFP via Getty Images)"So everything that he’s said, and that [owner] Stan [Kroenke] has said when I’ve been together with both of them, they’ve always delivered. We want to take the club to the next level and to compete really with the top teams. In order to do that, we have to be playing in the Champions League.
Arsenal face Sporting in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday and the Portuguese club’s manager Ruben Amorim is a fan of Arteta.
"What I can tell you is the manager of Arsenal is a benchmark,” he told reporters. "Mikel Arteta was an example because he was able to withstand that pressure that should be unbearable in the Premier League. Now he is bearing the fruits."