Mikel Arteta to Manchester United? Rio Ferdinand shares outrageous theory on Arsenal boss

Rio Ferdinand has claimed Mikel Arteta would jump at the chance to manage Manchester United if the opportunity arose at the end of the current season.

Erik ten Hag is under pressure at present and will be desperate to deliver a successful end to the campaign for the sake of his future. United are currently eight points adrift of the top four places and are faced with the challenge of making up this ground between now and May.

Whether or not Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the rest of his INEOS team deem the Dutchman the right figure to continue overseeing the first team remains to be seen. Thomas Tuchel is one manager who will be available this summer and the German has spoken only of his admiration for the Red Devils.

Throwing a slightly different name into the mix, Ferdinand has argued Arteta would be willing to ditch Arsenal in favour of a move to Old Trafford if Ten Hag were to be relieved of his duties.

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“Arteta would leave Arsenal to come to Man United, 100 per cent,” he said on FIVE. “No-one is saying it’s happening, but if Man United, in their wildest dreams, said ‘do you know what, Erik ten Hag, thank you’, or Erik ten Hag has been poached by Bayern Munich and he goes there, and Man United say ‘right, top of our list, Mikel Arteta’, Arteta is going in [to Arsenal] and saying ‘listen lads, it’s been emotional, but I’ve got to move and got to go’.”

Arteta was last month linked with becoming the new Barcelona boss, amid Xavi's decision to leave the Catalan club at the end of 2023/24, though the Spaniard pledged