Newcastle United made a serious attempt to appoint Mikel Arteta as manager in the summer of 2019, months before he took charge at Arsenal, with owner Mike Ashley prepared to offer the then-untested coach a long-term contract.
The approach came after Rafa Benitez's departure, which angered fans given his popularity at St James' Park. Ashley was keen to give Arteta a lengthy deal that demonstrated his desire to bring him on board, according to a Telegraph report.
A Contract Rarely Seen for a Rookie Coach
The Newcastle owner was willing to offer the kind of contract that is not normal for a first-time manager, given Arteta's only previous coaching experience was as an assistant at Manchester City.
Arteta was genuinely tempted by the role and began putting together a backroom staff to support him in the north east. However, having never worked as a number one, he had no previous assistants to call on, and those he wanted were unable to join him at that time, leading him to turn the job down.
Newcastle's Situation at the Time
Newcastle had finished 13th in Benitez's final season in charge. The atmosphere at St James' Park was tense because of Benitez's popularity and Ashley's deep unpopularity among supporters.
The club had also seen Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon leave after the pair combined for 23 of the 42 league goals Newcastle scored that campaign. After Arteta's rejection, the Magpies appointed Steve Bruce, who led them to another 13th-place finish.
Arteta's Later Success and Newcastle Frustration
Arteta has since established himself as one of Europe's leading managers, ending Arsenal's long wait for a Premier League title. But in the seasons after his appointment, he experienced notable frustration against Newcastle.
In 2021-22, Arsenal became clearly competitive under Arteta and recovered from a poor start to challenge for the top four. They controlled their own destiny in the final weeks but lost at a resurgent Newcastle in the penultimate game of the season, allowing Tottenham to overtake them.
In 2025, with Arteta facing criticism over his failure to win trophies, Arsenal were favourites to reach the Carabao Cup final but were beaten by Eddie Howe's side, who won both legs 2-0 for a 4-0 aggregate victory.
