Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has beaten the likes of Arsenal's Mikel Arteta to win the League Managers Association's manager of the year award.
The Citizens trailed Arteta's side in the Premier League title race for the majority of the season before a winless run of four matches saw the Gunners capitulate in April. City then clinched the title, their fifth in six seasons - a crushing blow to the north Londoners who had been as many as eight points clear at the top of the pile.
After beating the likes of Arteta, Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery and Fulham’s Marco Silva to the award, Guardiola warned his rivals that City would be challenging for the top honours yet again next term. “I’m delighted to receive the Premier League Manager of the Year," he said.
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"It’s an incredible honour to get this trophy. We are in the best league in the world and I promise you we will be there next season.”
The task for Arsenal this summer is trying to close the gap between them and the champions and one signing that can help do that is West Ham United captain Declan Rice. The England international remains Arteta's priority target for the summer transfer window, football.london understands.
But the north London outfit will face stiff competition for Rice's signature, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester United all said to be keen on prising the tough-tackling midfielder away from the London Stadium.
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