Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has warned that Mikel Arteta could be tempted to leave the Gunners for Barcelona, especially if he leads the north London club to Premier League glory. Arteta began his playing career at Barcelona's academy but never made a senior appearance for the Catalan side.
Petit, who also played for Barcelona, told Snabbare: 'Mikel Arteta could be tempted to come back to Spain, especially to a club he knew when he was very young. Honestly, with the work he’s doing, can you imagine if he wins something at the end of the season? He would probably say, “Okay, fair enough. For me, after almost seven years, I’ve done it with Arsenal. I think it’s time for me to see something else.” I can understand that.'
Petit added that Barcelona's lifestyle and status as one of the world's greatest clubs could prove irresistible. However, he suggested Arteta might want to sort out Barcelona's defence, which conceded 39 league goals last season and 17 in 15 La Liga games this term. Arsenal, under Arteta, have been more stingy, conceding just eight goals in 20 games across all competitions this season.
Arteta, meanwhile, remains focused on Arsenal's busy schedule. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash with Brentford, he reflected on recent matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, calling them a 'huge learning' experience. He highlighted lessons from Gabriel Magalhaes' injury and the need to adapt to different opponents.
