Mikel Arteta has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding Manchester City’s financial practices, confirming he holds a clear conscience concerning the period he served as an assistant at the club. The Arsenal manager, who departed the Etihad Stadium in 2019 to take his current role, worked under Pep Guardiola throughout the duration of the investigation’s focus. His tenure overlapped significantly with a nine-season window in which the independent commission determined the reigning champions had facilitated over £830m in undisclosed funding.
Key Details of the Investigation and Response
- Managerial tenure: Arteta worked at Manchester City from 2016 to 2019.
- Core allegations: The club is accused of using sham contracts to hide actual earnings.
- Arsenal’s stance: The club and manager remain committed to withholding further comment until legal proceedings reach a conclusion.
- Manager’s conscience: Arteta provided a one-word confirmation that he feels no personal burden regarding his past role.
- Communication with Guardiola: The Arsenal boss declined to confirm whether he has held private discussions with his former mentor on the matter.
- Future expectations: Arteta maintains trust that the relevant authorities will reach a fair resolution for the league.
During his first press engagement following the release of the commission’s report, Arteta navigated persistent inquiries regarding his former employer. While he remained calm, he arrived at the Arsenal training facility with a clear strategy to avoid detailed discourse. He consistently emphasized the importance of respecting existing timelines and the ongoing nature of the appeal process initiated by Manchester City. Although he spent roughly thirty minutes answering questions, the most defining moment arrived when he was directly challenged on his personal integrity and senior involvement during those years.
Arteta provided a single-word answer of “Yes” when asked if his conscience remained clear, marking the only departure from his otherwise strictly scripted responses. Despite the gravity of the findings, he remained non-combative throughout the media briefing. When probed about whether he had reached out to Pep Guardiola to discuss the crisis, he stated, “I prefer not to answer those questions.” Regarding the broader impact of these charges on the Premier League’s reputation, the Arsenal manager expressed total confidence in the competition, asserting that he “100%” believes it remains the best league in the global football landscape. He further noted his reliance on the governing bodies to manage the situation and arrive at the appropriate conclusion, regardless of how long the appeal might take to settle.
Looking ahead to the upcoming domestic schedule, the focus remains firmly on the field for the Gunners. Arsenal, currently positioned three points adrift of the current league leaders, prepares for a significant match against Leeds United this Saturday at the Emirates Stadium. While the off-field narrative surrounding his former club dominates media headlines, Arteta is clearly looking to maintain professional focus as he directs his team through the remainder of the season.
Important Details
- However, towards the end of more than half an hour of questioning, he was asked: “You were at City for three and a half years, is your conscience clear? You had a senior position there, is your conscience clear.
