Barcelona are reportedly lining up Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta as a potential replacement for Xavi Hernandez at Camp Nou as the Spaniard continues to perform wonders with the Gunners.
While Mikel Arteta is fixing the Gunners after a disappointing 2021/22 football season, Xavi Hernandez is struggling at Barcelona after spending a whooping £150million to strengthen the squad in the summer.
Arsenal have picked up their broken pieces and altered discussions on who might challenge for the 2022/23 Premier League.
The Arsenal transformation was evident in the preseason as they went unbeaten, winning all their preseason matches, including top ties against Chelsea and Sevilla.
However, the Gunners were not deemed as potential challengers for the Premier League title, with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool favored by pundits.
After the team went unbeaten, maintaining a 100 percent record after five games to stay top of the Premier League, the narrative began to change.
Nevertheless, they were still ruled out of the title race by most pundits, while the top-four finish was given to them.
Arsenal has proven critics wrong so far and is now a strong contender for the Premier League title.
Twelve matches into the season, they are top of the Premier League with 31 points, two points clear of second-placed team Manchester City with 29 points.
They have also qualified for Europa League knockouts with five wins and are leading the group with the highest number of points.
Mikel Arteta has done an incredible job with the Gunners. On the other hand, his Barcelona counterpart, Xavi, has struggled at Camp Nou.
Despite a good performance in La Liga so far, Xavi’s Barcelona has struggled against big teams and is from convincing after a summer spending of £150million.
They have crashed out of the Champions League a dare heading to the Europa League after a poor outing.
Xavi is definitely under pressure, and there were reports that he may likely lose the confidence of the management of the club.
Catalan are reportedly monitoring Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and are impressed by Arsenal’s style of play and feat under him this season.
They could potentially attempt to bring in Arteta in the future, as Xavi is under pressure after Barcelona’s early exit from the Champions League.
However, the Catalans are expected to stick with Xavi ‘for many years to come’ according to reports.
But Xavi have admitted after their exit that he is under pressure to start getting positive results or he will be relieved of his job.
Meanwhile, it has been understood that the Catalan club are not keen on sacking Xavi anytime soon.
Arteta has history with Barcelona having come through their academy during his playing days.
He left the club in 2002 as a 20-year-old to join Rangers, and went on to play for Everton and Arsenal in the Premier League.
Arteta also worked under former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola at City as an assistant coach before moving to Arsenal.
Guardiola led Barcelona through one of the most successful periods in their history, winning La Liga three times in a row and the Champions League twice.
