Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has claimed that Mikel Arteta could face an uncertain future at Arsenal despite a potential return to the Champions League.
The ex-midfielder has the Gunners on the verge of a return to Europe’s top table. Ahead of Wednesday evening’s clash with Liverpool, Arsenal sit fourth in the Premier League, with a one-point advantage over the Red Devils with three games in-hand.
Should the north Londoners book a place in the Champions League for next season, it would signal their first appearance in the competition since the 2016/17 campaign. That would certainly signal a dramatic reversal in fortunes at the Emirates Stadium following the horrendous start to the campaign.
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Despite that, Ferdinand is backing Arsenal fans to edge towards Arteta losing his job at the club should the Gunners endure a slow start to life back in Europe.
Speaking on his Vibe with Five Podcast, he said: “Don’t lie. All your fans, Arsenal fans, we know.
“The hype will be real around expectations. You’ll be hyping it up, expectations through the roof. If you went out in the group stages, ‘Mikel Arteta out,’ I’ll be hearing that. You heard that here first!”
It goes without saying that Arteta has certainly endured a rollercoaster of fortunes since he took the reins from Unai Emery in December 2019. Some difficult periods - including the stuttering start to the current campaign - has seen his role called into question.
However, a run of five consecutive Premier League victories has seen the Spaniard edge towards taking the club back into the Champions League. football.london understands that the Gunners are confident of Arteta penning a new deal in north London with French giants Paris Saint-Germain keeping a close eye on his situation.
His current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2023 having overseen 118 matches in his spell as Arsenal boss thus far.
