Recent reports revealed that Mikel Arteta once came extremely close to taking over as Newcastle United manager. The scenario opens up fascinating alternate timelines for both Newcastle and Arsenal.
A Chaotic Manager Search at St James’ Park
The possibility of Arteta joining Newcastle emerged in the summer of 2019 following Rafael Benitez’s departure. Benitez left the club when his contract expired after disagreements with the club’s transfer policy, notably refusing to make Salomon Rondon’s loan permanent before Newcastle signed Joelinton for 40 million pounds.
Left without a clear candidate to replace a popular manager, Newcastle’s search became one of the most eclectic in Premier League history. High-profile names such as Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Avram Grant, and Sam Allardyce were linked to the vacancy alongside Sean Dyche, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Laurent Blanc, Claudio Ranieri, David Moyes, Roberto Martinez, Quique Sanchez Flores, and Garry Monk.
The Search for a Dynamic Coach
According to reports at the time from Luke Edwards, club figures showed a reluctance to consider all the usual suspects, aiming instead for a younger and more dynamic coach rather than someone with vast Premier League experience.
Among the younger candidates under consideration alongside Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira was 37-year-old Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta. Arteta later explained why Newcastle would have been a poor fit for his first senior managerial role, and the Arsenal job became available months later.
Despite entertaining the idea of a younger profile, Newcastle ultimately appointed Steve Bruce, who was widely regarded as a safe pair of hands by those close to owner Mike Ashley.
