Back in July 2016, Mikel Arteta’s mind was made up. Then 34 and recently retired, the Spaniard had the chance to stay and coach at Arsenal. Mauricio Pochettino wanted him on his staff at Tottenham, too. But Arteta had decided to join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Around that time, something else had crystallised in Arteta’s mind. It involved his former club and Per Mertesacker.
‘When he left us, he left (former CEO) Ivan Gazidis a note saying: “You are losing me now, you are asking too late”,’ Mertesacker recalls. ‘But he told Ivan: “You can’t lose this guy.