Mikel Arteta 'would leave Arsenal' as Rio Ferdinand predicts sensational Man United job offer

Rio Ferdinand has made a bold claim that Mikel Arteta would '100 per cent' leave Arsenal for Manchester United. According to the former central defender, if Man United were to replace Erik ten Hag in the summer, Arteta would be interested in the role.

Arteta has been at the Gunners since December 2019 and has his team competing for the Premier League title for the second year running. With an impressive run of six straight wins and 25 goals scored in that period, Arsenal are hot on the heels of leaders Liverpool and defending champions Manchester City.

Despite being in the thick of the Premier League title race and preparing for the second leg of Arsenal's Champions League last-16 tie against Porto, Arteta is not actively seeking another job. However, with Ten Hag feeling the heat at United after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team's takeover, Ferdinand has speculated about a potential move to Manchester for the Spanish manager.

«Arteta would leave Arsenal to come to Man United, 100 per cent,» Ferdinand stated on FIVE. «No-one is saying it's happening, but if Man United, in their wildest dreams, said 'do you know what, Erik ten Hag, thank you', or Erik ten Hag has been poached by Bayern Munich and he goes there, and Man United say 'right, top of our list, Mikel Arteta', Arteta is going in [to Arsenal] and saying 'listen lads, it's been emotional, but I've got to move and got to go'.»

Arteta, who is currently contracted with Arsenal until the end of the 2024/25 season, has expressed his contentment in north London. In response to rumours linking him with the Barcelona job when Xavi Hernandez steps down in the summer, he said: «That's totally fake news. What you read yesterday… I don't know where it is coming from and it is