How Arteta overcame setbacks, crises and boos to defy the doubters at Arsenal

I t didn’t start well for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. On a crisp December night in 2019 at about 1am in a Manchester suburb, Vinai Venkatesham stepped out of Arteta’s home. The Arsenal managing director looked around, satisfied with his meeting.

Arteta had just outlined a “hugely impressive” five-year plan to rebuild a club reeling from Arsène Wenger’s departure and Unai Emery’s failed succession. Venkatesham stepped into his car and was driven away with his colleague Huss Fahmy. The club were about to take a huge gamble, but one with which they were increasingly comfortable. For many Arsenal executives, Arteta had won the interview round in 2018 when Wenger left. Yet it seemed too much to ask a 36-year-old rookie to manage a seismic transition and Emery had pedigree and experience; Arteta had charisma and a strong playing record. Now Venkatesham was pushing Arteta as the principal candidate to replace Emery. It was important not to antagonise Manchester City , where he was Pep Guardiola’s assistant. Which was why Venkatesham was puzzled to be woken early that morning by a phone call from Arsenal’s media chief telling him to look at the Sun. The first he knew he had been photographed leaving Arteta’s house was when the images were published online. It was, to put it mildly, an embarrassment. There was “displeasure” from City, said one source. “Noises were made at boardroom level.” Arteta, who was announced as head coach a week later after several days of somewhat fraught negotiations, could have joined Arsenal’s staff when he quit as a player in 2016 .

Key points

• Arteta had just outlined a “hugely impressive” five-year plan to rebuild a club reeling from Arsène Wenger’s departure and Unai Emery’s failed succession.
• Venkatesham stepped into his car and was driven away with his colleague Huss Fahmy.
• The club were about to take a huge gamble, but one with which they were increasingly comfortable.
• For many Arsenal executives, Arteta had won the interview round in 2018 when Wenger left.
• Yet it seemed too much to ask a 36-year-old rookie to manage a seismic transition and Emery had pedigree and experience; Arteta had charisma and a strong playing record.