“Big clubs will be knocking on the door” - Arsenal warned about Barcelona interest in Mikel Arteta by ex-Barca star

Former Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has issued a warning to Arsenal, suggesting that Mikel Arteta's impressive work at the north London club could soon attract interest from big clubs, including his former team, Barcelona.

Arteta, who took over the managerial reins at Arsenal in 2019, has transformed the club from a struggling side into genuine Premier League title contenders. Under his guidance, the club finished as runners-up in each of the last three Premier League seasons, although fans will be hoping thry finally lift the elusive title this season given their current form.

Speaking to OLBG, Mendieta stated that Arteta's trajectory as a manager is pointing firmly toward the elite tier of European coaching.

"Whenever Mikel Arteta's time at Arsenal is up and he's looking for new experiences, big clubs will be knocking on his door," Mendieta said. "The job he's doing at Arsenal and from now until the moment he leaves, which I'm assuming will be a long term, I'm sure there'll be more trophies in the cabinet. Like PSG, every season Arsenal can get better, get stronger and keep getting to the latter stages.

"Big clubs will be knocking on the door, Barca included, as well as other big clubs and even national teams, he will have a lot of offers on the table."

Interestingly, Arteta came through the ranks of Barcelona's famed academy, La Masia, where he played across different youth levels, including for Barcelona B. The Gunners are currently sitting atop the Premier League with 16 points after seven matches.

Mendieta says former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder will coach Premier League clubs in the future

Speaking further, Mendieta believes former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas could manage in the Premier League in the future. Mendieta specifically tipped Fabregas to return to either Arsenal or Chelsea, two clubs wherehe made his mark as a player.

"I’m sure there’s been some conversations. But he’s happy at Como. I know he’s happy because the project is key, he is the one deciding who comes and goes and he is bringing the culture and the environment. I’m sure Premier League clubs have approached him, former clubs will have approached him and we’ll see him in the Premier League sometime in the future.

Madieta stressed that Fabregas would suit either of the two Premier League clubs but suggested that Arsenal would fir his footballing philiosophy more closely.

"Would he suit Arsenal or Chelsea? It could be actually both," Madieta coninued. "I think he’s intelligent enough because he started to play in a way at Como and then he changed quickly. They also change the system within games. I think he’s obviously very intelligent, he was a very intelligent player and is a very intelligent coach.

"He would adapt to whatever he has. If he goes to Chelsea and he has 50 players, he can pick and choose the system he wants to play. If he goes to Arsenal he can pick the players that he wants. Judging right now, Arsenal looks more like the style of football that he would be playing."

Fabregas came through the youth teams of Barcelona and Arsenal and represented their senior sides. He also played for Chelsea between 2014 to 2019.