With uncertainty surrounding Real Madrid and their managerial situation with Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta has previously made his thoughts about a move there clear.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has already outlined his stance on the Real Madrid manager job, as uncertainty surrounds the Spanish giants in the dugout. It comes as Xabi Alonso is under pressure, with not every player in the dressing room seemingly on board with his methods so far.
The head coach arrived at the Bernabeu back in June, leaving Bayer Leverkusen after nearly three years in charge - where he picked up a Bundesliga title, alongside the DFB Pokal and the German Super Cup. In the opening few months on his return to Real Madrid, there have been mixed fortunes.
With 14 wins from his opening 18 games this season, Los Blancos are top of the league in Spain and are well-placed in the Champions League. However, the players are far from convinced, with recent reports of dissatisfaction among some key members of the squad.
Mundo Deportivo reported that Vinicius Jr, Fede Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Rodrygo, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy are among those who are not convinced by Alonso. While question marks remain over his situation, there is the possibility of a change in head coach for the team.
It's unclear exactly who Real Madrid could go for if they do decide to make a change, but the club has a record of going for the best in the business. With that in mind, it would be natural to see Arteta linked with a move, given his impressive job at Arsenal so far.
There are a few reasons why that may not work; however, one of those is the manager's links to Barcelona, having come through their academy as a youngster. Not only is that rivalry baked into him, but Arteta has already brushed off the job when asked about the possibility two years ago.
With Arteta linked at the time, he was asked about a move, to which he said: "Managers and players can't control what is written by the press. What I can tell is that I'm fully focused on what I’m doing here and extremely proud and grateful to do what I'm doing in this football club. That's it."
The Spaniard certainly stayed true to his word, sticking with Arsenal on many occasions where another job elsewhere could've come up. The same may well be expected if the Real Madrid job, or any other job for that matter, comes up in the weeks, months, and perhaps even years ahead.
Arteta will be keen to see out the project he started with Arsenal back in 2019, having already come so close to ending their wait for a Premier League title. The Gunners sit top of the table after 12 matches played, with a six-point gap already built over their nearest rivals.
If they manage to get over the line by May, then it'll be a first triumph in over 20 years, having last won the title under Arsene Wenger in 2003/04. Plenty of twists and turns could be in store, even with Arteta at the helm, as he has previously seen in seasons at the top.
The gap could be extended further over the weekend, though, when Arsenal take on second-place Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with plenty of hope that the side can turn up and do a job. The manager isn't getting too ahead of himself, however, having predicted a tough clash coming up.
"You just have to watch the game that they played against Barcelona yesterday to understand how difficult and tough and what a good team Chelsea are," Arteta told the press after Arsenal beat Bayern Munich. "So we know tomorrow, we start to prepare and we go from there."
While the Premier League title will be in their sights, there is still hope that they can compete well across the other competitions to cement their place as one of the best in Europe. Arsenal are well-placed in the Champions League to secure a top-eight finish, with hopes of going a few steps further than their semi-final appearance last season.
The Gunners have a quarter-final of the Carabao Cup coming up next month, while there is a full FA Cup campaign to follow. In all, it means full focus for Arteta, regardless of what is happening elsewhere.