Everton: Marcel Brands shares how close Mikel Arteta came to managing Toffees over Arsenal
Marcel Brands has revealed just how close Everton came to persuading Mikel Arteta to manage the club before he joined Arsenal.
Arteta was lined up by the Toffees as a possible successor to Marco Silva in December 2019, with the job eventually going to Carlo Ancelotti.
David Moyes has since confirmed he was also in the frame to take over, but Ancelotti got the job instead before departing 18 months later.
And it seems that Arteta, who was part of the Manchester City coaching staff at the time, was also wanted by Everton’s top brass at the time.
“I moved heaven and earth to bring Arteta to Everton,” former Everton director Brands told Soccer News [22 March].
“He is also a former player of course. I spent the entire evening at his house and I saw him as the ideal man for us.
“I immediately saw a top trainer. At the time he was still an assistant to Pep Guardiola and he was busy with other things.
“Then I was at his house to sound him out and I got so excited. So well prepared, and that passion came out everywhere.
“His mouth, his nose and his ears. I thought this is the trainer, but for the long term.”
Mikel Arteta on course for Premier League title success with Arsenal
Arteta was clearly ready to pave his own way in management, as he took over at Arsenal the same week that Everton appointed Ancelotti.
Indeed, the pair of them were sat in the Goodison Park stands to watch a goalless draw between the sides before officially taking charge.
Ancelotti did not last long and Sean Dyche has had relative success in the Goodison dugout, but fans can only wonder what might have been.
Arteta has worked wonders in his time at Emirates Stadium and could end the club’s long wait for Premier League title success this season.
Of course, the quality of player at Arsenal is higher than that at Everton, but Arteta is clearly someone cut from the same cloth as Pep Guardiola.
It may be that one day he ends up at Goodison Park, but for now he is very much the one that got away.
In other Everton news, Mark Douglas has raised a supporter question amid an “impossible” Toffees claim.
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