Newcastle nearly signed Arteta in 2019 before Arsenal swooped months later

Mikel Arteta came within touching distance of joining Newcastle United just months before taking charge of Arsenal, according to an extract from Sam Dean’s new book Arsenal: The Inside Story of Arsenal’s Rebirth Under Mikel Arteta, published in the Daily Telegraph.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley made a determined push to appoint Arteta in the summer of 2019, while the Spaniard was still working as a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Ashley was prepared to offer “an extraordinarily long contract” — far exceeding the standard length of a deal for a first-time Premier League manager — in a bid to persuade him.

Arteta gave the offer serious consideration. Dean writes that Newcastle’s stature and passionate fanbase made the club an appealing first step for a coach of Arteta’s age and experience, and that the previous season’s 13th-place finish — 11 points clear of the relegation zone — suggested there was room for improvement without undue risk.

Ultimately, several factors pushed Arteta away. The enormous popularity of departing manager Rafael Benítez, combined with widespread fan hostility towards Ashley himself, gave Arteta pause. The squad also presented problems: Ayoze Pérez and Salomón Rondón had both left St James’ Park, taking 23 of the club’s 42 Premier League goals from the previous season with them. Arteta was also unable to bring his preferred coaching staff with him, with the timing not suiting several of the personnel he had in mind.

With those concerns unresolved, Arteta turned Ashley down. In December 2019, he was appointed Arsenal manager, replacing the sacked Unai Emery.

The decision proved transformative. Arteta won the FA Cup in August 2020, less than eight months into the job, and went on to build one of the most competitive Arsenal sides in years. He guided the Gunners to the Premier League title last season and reached the Champions League final, charting a course that would almost certainly have looked very different had he taken the road to Tyneside.