Arsene Wenger advises Mikel Arteta to surround himself with supportive figures at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta will have to deal with his managerial inexperience by surrounding himself with supportive figures at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger advised his former captain on Wednesday.

Arsenal is in talks with Arteta about becoming the second manager of the Premier League club since Wenger left Arsenal after 22 years in May 2018.

Arsenal, who have slumped to tenth in the Premier League table, fired Unai Emery almost three weeks ago.

Arteta, who played for Arsenal from 2011-16, has been assistant to Pep Guardiola at City since leaving the north London club. Returning to Arsenal in the top job would be a big step up for the 37-year-old Spaniard.

“Mikel Arteta has certainly a great future, he has learned a lot in his first experience, in his first position as an assistant coach,” Wenger said.

“He will have to deal with the fact he has no experience at that level, and he will have to get surrounded well and have a good environment at the club.”

Wenger is now chief of global football development at FIFA.

“Arsenal is going through a very difficult period,” Wenger said at the Club World Cup. “I just suffer like every other supporter.”