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Manchester City furious over lack of formal approach for Arteta from Arsenal

Arsenal hopes to install Mikel Arteta as their new head coach in time for Saturday’s meeting with Everton, although Manchester City is furious that they have still had no contact from the north London club

Manchester City’s assistant coach Mikel Arteta sits in the dug-out for the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Oxford United and Manchester City at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford, west of London, on December 18, 2019. (Photo by OLLY GREENWOOD / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Arsenal hopes to install Mikel Arteta as their new head coach in time for Saturday’s meeting with Everton, although Manchester City is furious that they have still had no contact from the north London club, reports telegraph.co.uk.

City is not going to stand in Arteta’s way but they are understood to be enraged by Arsenal’s conduct as they were yet to receive any approach ahead of their meeting with Oxford United on Wednesday night.

Arsenal are understood to be in the process of finalising the details of the paperwork of the 37-year-old’s move, with Arteta believed to have agreed to a three and a half year deal at the Emirates.

But City is adamant that no deal has been struck with Arsenal and are demanding that an agreement is reached over a seven-figure compensation fee before Arteta leaves the club.

City have been bemused by Arsenal’s contact since Sunday when none of the club’s executives took the opportunity to discuss Arteta’s future as the two sides met at the Emirates Stadium.

Executives from both clubs socialised before and after the game and the lack of approach from Arsenal to City is likely to create a strained relationship between the teams going forward.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that Arteta had met with Arsenal executives last week, before a second meeting with managing director Vinai Venkatesham and director of football operations Huss Fahmy late on Sunday night.

It is understood there have also been talks with Josh Kroenke, the son of owner Stan. Josh Kroenke has been involved throughout the recruitment process as part of his increased involvement in the day-to-day running of the club and was in London for Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by City.

Arteta came close to being offered the Arsenal head coach position last summer when the club was hiring a replacement for Arsene Wenger. On that occasion, they ultimately went with Unai Emery, who was sacked last month after a total collapse in Arsenal’s form.

At 37, and with no managerial experience, Arteta represents a gamble for Arsenal, but he is highly regarded for his work at the club when he served as club captain for two years, and for his success as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at City.

One of Arteta’s first jobs as head coach, should the paperwork be finalised as plans, will be to ensure the support of key players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the current club captain.

On Wednesday, Aubameyang’s brother criticised Arsenal for moving for Arteta, saying the Spaniard had “no experience” and comparing the appointment to the decision to make Freddie Ljungberg the interim head coach.

Willy Aubameyang, who is a regular presence around the club, wrote on social media, “Ljungberg Arteta is the same, no experience”.

Meanwhile, Wenger has warned Arteta that he must surround himself with the right assistants if he is to succeed in north London.

“I am an Arsenal supporter,” Wenger said. “And at the moment I support the manager in charge and the manager in charge is Ljungberg. When Arteta will be in charge I will support Arteta.

“He is intelligent, he has passion, he has knowledge, but Ljungberg [does] as well. I believe that Arteta has certainly a great future, he has certainly learned a lot in his first position as an assistant coach and after that as well he will have to deal with the fact that he has no experience at that level and he will have to get surrounded well.”

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