Arsenal Target Mikel Arteta to Offer Injury Prone Midfielder a Role in Backroom Staff

Arsenal's managerial target Mikel Arteta will offer veteran midfielder Santi Cazorla the chance to join his backroom staff if Manchester City's assistant coach is offered the main role in north London this summer.

Arteta has become a hot favourite to succeed Arsène Wenger at the Emirates this summer, with the Frenchman announcing some time ago that he was stepping down after 22 years in charge of the club.

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Although the likes of Massimiliano Allegri, Luis Enrique and Patrick Vieira have all been linked with the job, it is beginning to look increasingly likely that Arteta will take over this summer.

And according to the Independent, the first thing the Spaniard will look to do at the Emirates is offer his former Arsenal teammate a job in his backroom staff - presenting Cazorla with a solution to his ongoing injury problems.

Cazorla has been out of action through injury for over a year, and it is unlikely that the playmaker will be able to influence the Arsenal first team like he used to if he ever returns to the squad.

So prospective manager Arteta is eager for his compatriot to take up a coaching role with the club, joining the likes of Jens Lehmann and Per Mertesacker as ex-players who have returned to Arsenal behind the scenes.

Although Arsenal are stepping into new territory in signing a new manager for the first time in 22 years, the appointments of Raul Sanllehi (Head of Football Relations) from Barcelona and Sven Mislintat (Head of Recruitment) from Borussia Dortmund have the Gunners perfectly set up as the club transitions into a new era.