Mikel Arteta has offered Yaya Toure the chance to work under him at Arsenal.
The pair worked together at Manchester City when Arteta was assistant to Pep Guardiola, and Toure was winding down his playing career.
And now with the Ivorian seeking to follow the Catalan up the coaching ladder, he has been offered a route into the elite.
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“He is a player I appreciate a lot so he can call me and ask the question.
“He certainly has the experience and expertise, and has won a lot in the game to add value to the game for sure.”
For Arteta, these carefully coded words could also be a show of strength as he seeks to get one over on North London rivals Spurs, where Toure has been doing youth coaching alongside England assistant Chris Powell.
If he can lure someone of such legendary repute as Toure to the Emirates, it gives him some extra kudos among a fan base that hasn’t always been wholly convinced by his tenure so far.
Toure has been sampling clubs far and wide as he completes his coaching qualifications, and alongside his role at Spurs he is also the assistant manager at Russian Premier League side Akhmat Grozny, having also had a short four-month spell in a similar role with Olimpik Donetsk in the Ukraine.
It remains to be seen if Arteta’s phone rings in the coming days, but it would represent a significant leap in Toure’s burgeoning coaching career if he were to arrive at Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta and Yaya Toure during their playing days at Arsenal and Manchester City respectively
Image credit: Getty Images
Toure isn’t the only notable figure that Arteta has been making overtures to in recent weeks.
The 39-year-old has also taken the chance twice of late to state his wish for Arsene Wenger to return to the club in some capacity, having also revealed he conveyed that message in person at the recent premiere of the documentary ‘Arsene Wenger: Invincible’.
“There has been communication,” Arteta told press on November 26 prior to facing Newcastle United.
“I saw him and talked to him when we went to see the film.
“It was incredibly pleasant to see him and chat to him.
“Hopefully we can bring him close, because I think he will have a great time just seeing the environment he can create around him and around this place. Because of the respect and admiration that everybody at the club has for what he’s done, and as well for what he represents as a person in this club.”
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And as for what role Wenger would take up?
“I cannot tell you now,” Arteta said.
“But what I can say is that I would like him to be much closer personally to me. Because I think it would be a great help, and it would be a great help for the club. Things take time and I think he has to dictate those timings. What I can say is from my side and I can talk, I think, on behalf of everybody that we would be delighted to have him much closer.”
What’s also clear is that Arteta – as a young coach – is taking steps to surround himself with experience and familiarity, in order to navigate the pressures of taking such a high-profile role at this early stage of his managerial career.
With Arsenal having climbed the table in recent weeks and playing some cohesive, attractive football, his approach seems to be taking the club in the right direction.
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