Andrea Berta already planning Mikel Arteta replacement after PSG defeat

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The future of Mikel Arteta as Arsenal manager has come under renewed scrutiny following the club’s elimination from the Champions League last night. The Gunners fought valiantly in their bid to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit but were undone by an inspired Paris Saint-Germain side, whose quest for a maiden European crown gathers pace.

Despite a landmark quarter-final victory over Real Madrid, Arsenal’s Champions League campaign ultimately ended in disappointment, leaving Arteta’s side once again empty-handed. While the young manager has overseen Arsenal’s resurgence as a force in European football, five seasons without major silverware continues to cast a shadow over his tenure.

Arteta, who signed a new contract last September, is expected to remain at the helm at least until the end of next season, with Champions League qualification for next year all but secured. New sporting director Andrea Berta, preparing for his first transfer window in charge, is unlikely to seek a managerial change in the immediate future.

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However, the pressure is mounting, and speculation over Arteta’s successor is intensifying. Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite to take over, with BetVictor installing the Italian at 5/1. Inzaghi’s stock has risen further following Inter’s dramatic victory over Barcelona earlier this week, keeping their own Champions League dreams alive.

Other names in the frame include Italian stalwarts Max Allegri and Antonio Conte, while Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, a close associate of Berta, is considered an outsider at 10/1.

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Inzaghi, who shares Arteta’s preference for a tactically astute, possession-based style, is widely regarded as a proven winner, with a chance to add the Champions League to his résumé before the season’s end. Inter president Beppe Marotta has expressed full confidence in his coach, recently likening Inzaghi’s winning mentality to that of Conte.

“Napoli are clear candidates for the Scudetto,” Marotta noted earlier in the season. “I know Conte well, and they were champions of Italy two years ago thanks to him, a serial winner. But our coach Inzaghi is on the same path.”

For now, Arsenal remain committed to Arteta, but with silverware continuing to elude the Gunners, both manager and club know that patience is not unlimited.

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