The Mikel Arteta misconception and his role at Man City after 115 charges verdict

Mikel Arteta was a coach at Manchester City during the time they have been reportedly found guilty of 114 financial breaches by the Premier League's independent commission

Manchester City have been brought firmly into the spotlight during the international break after they were reportedly found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League. City still deny any wrongdoing, and the appeal process is now believed to be underway.

Arsenal, alongside the rest of the Premier League clubs and those who competed during and after the years City are alleged to have committed wrongdoing, are waiting patiently for an official announcement. The Gunners’ manager Mikel Arteta will be particularly keen to learn more information, not just because of his role in North London but also because of his time working at Man City.

Naturally, because of his three-and-a-half-year stint with City, he was a particular target for reporters when putting questions to the Spaniard as the story broke in 2023.

“I’m not going to make any comment on that, I’m sorry,” Arteta said when asked after the charges were announced in 2023. Then, he was asked if he had any knowledge of any potential wrongdoing at City during his time working with Pep Guardiola, to which he simply replied: “No.”

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A year later, he was asked about the situation again, and understandably, he batted it away but did expand more on the subject. “That’s something for the authorities to manage,” he said.

“It’s not for us. If they’re playing, that means they can play, and they are entitled to play. That’s it."

Arteta’s role with City began when he retired from football with Arsenal. He was offered a position in Guardiola’s coaching staff. Ironically, his first trophy with City as a coach came against Arsenal in the 2018 League Cup final.

In June of the same year, following a Premier League title win, Domenec Torrent left as Guardiola’s assistant and Arteta was promoted into the role. He would even take charge on the touchline of Man City’s defeat to Lyon while Guardiola was suspended.

Aymeric Laporte was full of praise for the Spaniard in the wake of the game. “Normally, the coach is on the bench, but we know what we need to do, and we get plenty of guidance from Mikel, who works with us every day. That helps us a lot.

“We get on well with Mikel. He was a terrific player and he spends a lot of time with us. He knows what a player is thinking, so I think he’s a great coach.

“We are a competitive team and we have plenty of people who will help us tomorrow. Mikel and Pep are very complementary, and they have both have lived and breathed football.”

Arteta left City just over a year later, in December of 2019, to join Arsenal. He was considered for the role when Arsene Wenger left in the summer of 2018, but the club instead decided to go with Unai Emery.

Guardiola’s position on Man City’s charges, prior to the reported guilty verdict, was clear. Were it made apparent he was lied to, he would’ve walked away. "They explain, and I believe them,” he said.

It is clear that Guardiola sees a clear separation between the decisions being made at the club from an executive level and the work done as the coach. Arteta’s role was far reduced compared to that of Guardiola to what we understand for a far shorter period.

Therefore, it is a misconception that Arteta would somehow be caught up in any of the potential fallout from the case. In the same way that any players who featured for City during that period would either.