Former player keen on talks as Arsenal set deadline for Emery

Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen to talk to Arsenal about replacing Unai Emery, who is said to have been given three Premier League games to save his job.

Arsenal have not seen the improvement they had hoped for since Emery replaced Arsene Wenger at The Emirates last year and slipped to eighth in the Premier League table after Saturday’s disappointing home draw with Southampton.

The Gunners are already eight points off the top-four places and, according to The Times, Arsenal chiefs are interested in talking to Arteta and former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri about replacing Emery.

Both Arteta – who spent five years at Arsenal as a player – and Allegri were looked at by the Gunners as Wenger’s reign came to an end last year.

Arteta has enjoyed huge success as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City but is said to be keen to talk to Arsenal about a return to north London.

Allegri was interviewed by the north London club last year but the Italian decided to have a year out of the game after leaving Juve.

 

The report adds that despite preparing for Emery’s potential sacking, Arsenal have not given up on the Spaniard just yet and will give him three more league games to turn things around.

The Gunners take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday night, but it is the subsequent Premier League fixtures against Norwich, Brighton and West Ham that will ultimately decide his fate.