Real Madrid manager news: Mikel Arteta emerges as Los Blancos target

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Real Madrid have reportedly identified Mikel Arteta as a serious managerial target to replace Carlo Ancelotti, with the Arsenal figure one of the best young coaches currently working in football.

According to journalist Tomas Gonzalez-Martin, Arteta is now an option for Los Blancos as the Spanish giants look to find their next manager amid rumours that Ancelotti could leave the club at the end of this season, with Madrid trailing in the La Liga title race and far from the favourites to win the UEFA Champions League.

With Arsenal top of the Premier League, Arteta’s stock has risen considerably this season, with the 40-year-old coach one of the youngest managers working in a top-five European division and also one of the most exciting names in the field.

Having signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal last summer, though, Madrid will face quite the financial battle to land the Basque coach, with Arteta himself unlikely to quit while he is ahead with the north London side following all his hard work with the club.

Indeed, Arteta has single-handily transformed Arsenal from a sleeping giant with no clear direction to one of the best clubs in all of Europe and a cohesive unit that has the potential to become one of the most dominant in the Premier League for quite some time.

And whilst interest from Madrid will be appealing for Arteta, there’s a more-than-likely chance that the former Manchester City coach will knock back any attempts from Real to hire his services, with the Arsenal boss set for the long-run with the Gunners.

Arteta must reject Real Madrid approach to complete Arsenal rebuild

A club as big as Madrid will always be an appealing move for any manager working in football, yet for Arteta, leaving Arsenal for the Spanish giants at this stage would feel like a stab in the back for the north London side fanbase who have grown to love the 40-year-old a second time.

And for Arteta himself, the Basque coach likely knows himself that no club in the world can currently tempt him from leaving Arsenal, even if a side as big as Madrid were to make an initial approach for the current Premier League leader, who will likely want a stay in the English capital with the Gunners.