Mikel Arteta on 10-manager shortlist for PSG job if Mauricio Pochettino leaves
Mauricio Pochettino’s future at PSG continues to make headlines following the club’s Champions League exit last week.
In truth, rumours of Pochettino leaving Paris this summer have been raging for months, but the manner of the collapse against Real Madrid has only heightened speculation that manager and club will split ways at the end of the season after 18 months.
Pochettino is, of course, under consideration for the permanent Man Utd job, for which he’s currently the 6/4 favourite ahead of Ajax’s Erik ten Hag (9/4) and Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel (7/2).
As for who could replace Pochettino at PSG, French outlet L’Équipe reports that there is a whopping 10-manager shortlist, featuring Premier League managers Mikel Arteta and Antonio Conte.
Arteta, under-fire at the start of the season, has enjoyed a superb turnaround at Arsenal whose young and talented team now occupy a place in the top-four. The Gunners have picked up 51 points from 26 games to date, compared to 37 points at the same stage last season when they were 10th.
Arteta, priced at 16/1 to become the next PSG manager (Paddy Power), has won praise for trusting his own methods in the face of criticism, and implementing an attractive style of play, which has seen multiple young players thrive.
"Arsenal's midfield is reminiscent of a Pep Guardiola team, who has obviously got a huge influence on Mikel Arteta. Manchester City so often have five players in forward positions spread across the pitch, and that spreads the opposition really wide,” said Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football.
"But it's the positions of Odegaard and Xhaka, who are pushed really high, which really standout, while Partey is sat really deep. It's reminiscent of Bernardo Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri at Manchester City.”
PSG could look to jump on any uncertainty surrounding the future of Tottenham manager Conte, who is available at 12/1 in the market.
Odds-on favourite Zinedine Zidane is believed to be the club’s No.1 choice to succeed Pochettino, although the Frenchman could well have set his sights on the France job, which will open up at the end of the year when Didier Deschamps’ contract expires.
Man Utd-linked Erik Ten Hag (20/1) and Atletico's Diego Simeone (33/1) are on the shortlist too, as are the Italian duo of Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi (33/1) and Juventus’ Max Allegri (40/1), plus the out-of-work former Nice and Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre.
20/1 shot Christophe Galtier memorably beat PSG to the Ligue 1 title last season with Lille. Since taking charge of Nice in the summer he’s booted the Paris outfit out of the Coupe de France and beaten them in the league.
Lastly, Thiago Motta is a surprise addition in the running. He previously played for the club and maintains a strong relationship with the hierarchy, but it would represent a big step up from his current post at Italian side Spezia who are 15th in Serie A.
Full odds below…
