Reasons why Guardiola will join Arsenal

With Arsene Wenger’s contract at Arsenal approaching terminus, speculations of the board’s intention to seek a successor for the 65-year-old Frenchman has taken centre stage. While some media houses across Europe have said Wenger would be allowed, just as Alex Ferguson at Manchester  United,  to hand pick his successor and that the Gunners manager has chosen Paul Clement, 42, the Assistant coach at Real Madrid, others have opened the flashed the hope of a Pep Guardiola, 43, stint at the Emirates. The more experienced of the two managers, at almost the same ages, is no doubt Pep Guardiola. Here below are 5 reasons why we think Pep Guardiola the Bayern Munich manager will join Arsenal at the end of his time in Germany.

1. Contract Expiration Coincidence: The Evening Standard earlier calculated that Arsene Wenger’s reported time of departure at Arsenal would coincide with the expiration of Guardiola’s time as Bayern Munich manager in 2016 therefore the former Barcelona manager could just be in line as the new manager at the Emirates. This assumption is not farfetched since the vibe from the German giants is that the Spanish manager’s contract wouldn’t be extended by the end of the existing contract. It can be said to be coincidental that Wenger’s contract expires in May 2017, after he signed a new 3 year contract in May, 2014. Guardiola’s availability would attract Arsenal to look in his direction while Arsene Wenger would reportedly move up the ladder at Arsenal.

2. Same styled players: Arsenal would offer Pep Guardiola the opportunity of managing players like Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla among others, players who can be likened to Guardiola’s former players at Barcelona. The players Guardiola employed even after leaving Barcelona are Arsene Wenger styled players and hence the philosophies may not be very different. Guardiola, who was a former football player himself, played under Johan Cryuff at Barcelona and was an important member of the Dutch manager’s “dream team” that won Barcelona their first ever European Cup in 1992. Therefore, Guardiola can be said to be a product of total football, made popular by Cryuff, a playing style Barcelona still adopts till today, called tiki-taka. This style is very similar to Arsene Wenger’s attractive passing game and no other manager would better suit that style than Pep Guardiola for the purpose of continuity and success at the club.

3. Guardiola’s EPL desire: Arsenal though was initially thought to face competition from Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, as Guardiola has attracted interest from the Manchester duo recently and Guardiola had earlier expressed his desire to take up a managerial job in England someday. The coast for Arsenal would be clear if the top hierarchies at the Manchester clubs deem it fit to extend the contracts of the current managers at the Manchester clubs- Manuel Pellegrini and Louis Van Gaal as it isn’t likely that Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho would be sacked anytime soon because of his long term stay. Louis Van Gaal just took charge at Manchester United and this practically rules him out while Liverpool isn’t just attractive enough for a manager in the mould of Guardiola. Therefore, asides Manchester City, who could fire and hire Pellegrini at anytime, Arsenal, stands better chance of landing the manager over any other English Premier League club.

4. Wenger’s persuasion power: Since taking charge of the North London side in 1996, Arsene Wenger has proven to critics that he not only could modify Arsenal’s style of play- a feat that got him referred to as the transformer of a boring Arsenal to a scoring Arsenal-he could also, persuade, cajole and even negotiate in business matters. Players that have come in contact with him hardly ever refuse to join the Gooners. This is evident in the players’ statements after they put pen to paper for the club. These skills can also be applied in convincing Pep Guardiola, his potential successor at Arsenal. Wenger is well known influential manager in European football and if he really wants Guardiola as his replacement, he only needs to pull some strings and Guardiola would be the new Arsenal manager.

5. New Challenge for Guardiola: Pep Guardiola, since joining Bayern Munich in 2013, has won the Bundesliga for the club and in 2 years, before the expiration of his contract, he stands a good chance of winning everything available domestically and continentally. Bayern Munich under Guardiola rank with clubs like Real Madrid in terms of the quality of players and personnel who can deliver the goods. Therefore, the 43-year-old manager would need a new challenge after his time in Germany, a package Arsenal are able and willing to offer.

’Tayo Amosu.