Brief
Arteta turned down Newcastle before joining Arsenal in 2019
Sam Dean’s new book reveals Arteta was close to signing for Newcastle before taking the Arsenal job.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Mikel Arteta was on the verge of accepting a "extraordinarily long" contract from Newcastle United in the summer of 2019, but ultimately rejected the offer and became Arsenal manager in December 2019, according to Sam Dean’s book Arsenal: The Inside Story of Arsenal’s Rebirth Under Mikel Arteta as reported by the Independent.
What happened
At the time, Artura was a coach at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. Newcastle’s owner Mike Ashley reportedly pressed hard for Arteta, offering a contract longer than typical for a first‑time Premier League manager. Arteta debated the move, weighing Newcastle’s fan base, recent 13th‑place finish and the departure of key forwards Ayoze Pérez and Salomón Rondón, before turning it down.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that Arteta’s decision was influenced by several factors: the popularity of outgoing manager Rafael Benítez, fan hostility toward Ashley, squad uncertainties after the loss of Pérez and Rondón, and the inability to bring his preferred coaching staff. Dean quotes the author saying Arteta was “tempted” but ultimately declined.
What was said
Dean is quoted in the Independent: “Arteta was tempted. Newcastle are one of the great clubs in English football, with hugely passionate fans, and in many ways they represented the perfect starting point for a coach of Arteta’s age and experience.” The book also records Dean’s comment that only Arteta can answer why he rejected the job.
How it came about
After rejecting Newcastle, Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager in December 2019, replacing Unai Emery. He led Arsenal to an FA Cup win in 2020 and a Premier League title in 2025, as covered in recent Felo News articles on his contract extension and recent successes.
Key facts
- Arteta was offered an extraordinarily long contract by Newcastle United in summer 2019 (independent.co.uk)
- He declined the offer and became Arsenal manager in December 2019 (independent.co.uk)
- Key factors in his decision included fan hostility toward owner Mike Ashley and squad changes at Newcastle (independent.co.uk)
- Arteta had been a coach at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola before the Newcastle approach (independent.co.uk)
- Steve Bruce was appointed Newcastle manager after Arteta turned down the job (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Premier League rivals nearly hired Mikel Arteta before joining Arsenal”
