Arsenal are edging closer to installing Mikel Arteta as their long-term replacement for Unai Emery but one prominent pundit believes the club have made a big mistake.
Emery was sacked by the Gunners last month after a disappointing start to his second season in charge since replacing club legend Arsene Wenger.
The back end of Wenger’s tenure was filled with disillusion amongst fans but that only got worse during the Spaniard’s time at the club.
READ ALSO: Arsenal players reportedly favour Carlo Ancelotti over Mikel Arteta
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 1")
![[FILES] Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the English League Cup semi-final first leg football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 13, 2022. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/000_9W63G7-897x598-1-120x86.jpg "Pochettino advised me not to go into coaching, says Arteta 3")
Now Arteta is in talks with Arsenal about taking over as the permanent replacement for Emery, with Freddie Ljungberg having been in charge on an interim basis.
But former Tottenham striker turned well-known pundit Darren Bent believes the Gunners have missed a trick by not pushing hard for Carlo Ancelotti.
Former Chelsea title winner Ancelotti was sacked by Napoli earlier this month and Bent says the Italian’s experience would have made him a better fit for a club which has lost its way, with the Ancelotti set to land the Everton job.
“Bringing in Carlo Ancelotti would be a massive piece of business for Everton and it’s a real statement,” Bent, who was speaking on behalf of GentingBet, told football.london. “His pedigree is second to none. He got sacked by Chelsea after winning the double and his players seem to really like him.
READ ALSO: Ancelotti not giving way to ‘euphoria’ over Liverpool win
“Arsenal should be kicking themselves. Mikel Arteta has never been a manager and Arsenal should have been going all out to get one of those top-quality managers after sacking Unai Emery, and they didn’t. I don’t think they really wanted Arteta in the first place but they have been forced into it.”
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