Ivan Gazidis believes Manchester City coach Mikel Arteta is ready to succeed Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager

Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis believes former midfielder Mikel Arteta could be the man to replace legendary manager Arsene Wenger at the end of the season, according to Sky Sports.

The Premier League club, who defeated West Ham United 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the top-flight, will wave goodbye to 68-year-old Wenger this summer, after nearly 22 years at the helm, which included 17 honours.

With the Gunners currently sat sixth in the league standings, 11 points adrift of rivals and fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur, choosing the right candidate to replace the great Wenger could prove crucial for the near future of the football club.

Former Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta.

Following last Friday’s announcement that Wenger would be stepping down at the end of the season, Gazidis admitted Arsenal needed to be “bold” in their search for a new manager, and he is understood to believe ex-Gunners player Arteta could succeed as boss at the Emirates Stadium, despite having no managerial experience.

The former Arsenal captain has flourished at Premier League champions Manchester City as an assistant coach, working alongside first-team manager Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Arteta, 36, scored 16 goals in 150 appearances in all competitions for the North London outfit between 2011 and 2016, after arriving from fellow Premier League side Everton for a reported £10m fee.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola celebrates with coach Mikel Arteta.

The report claims Gazidis, who will play a key role in recommending who should succeed Wenger at Arsenal to owner Stan Kroenke, believes ex-midfielder Arteta possesses all the credentials to excel in the hot seat.

Former FC Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is said to be favourite for the job at the Emirates, meanwhile other frontrunners include ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti, Juventus chief Massimiliano Allegri, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, Germany coach Joachim Löw and another former player, Patrick Vieira, of New York City.

Written by Dan Church Follow @DJChurch94