Eddie Howe, Thierry Henry and Christophe Galtier frontrunners to replace Mikel Arteta as Arsenal manager
Eddie Howe leads the list of candidates to replace Mikel Arteta as the next permanent manager of Arsenal.
Arteta led Arsenal to FA Cup glory in his first season in charge but has overseen two successive 8th-place finishes in the Premier League.
Some fans have even called for the Spaniard to be replaced at the Emirates, despite the Gunners finding form recently following a difficult start to the season.
Legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and Nice manager Christophe Galtier are both priced at 12/1 to make the move.
Spain coach Luis Enrique and Giovanni van Bronckhurst – who recently took over at Rangers – are also in the running.
Howe came in at St James’ Park to replace the outgoing Steve Bruce, appointed by the Saudi consortium who took over the club from Mike Ashley.
The new Newcastle boss is the 9/2 favourite to replace Arteta, at some of the top sportsbooks, as can be seen at this leovegas review.
The English manager won admirers during eight years at Bournemouth, establishing them as a Premier League side and landing the LMA Manager of the Year award in 2015.
Arsene Wenger – who managed Arsenal from 1996 to 2018 – is one of a number of top bosses impressed by Howe.
“There are similarities – we are both blond, he’s doing very well,” Wenger said in 2016.
“I like the fact that he tries to play with a positive philosophy and the England job has been mentioned because he is one of the few English managers who is doing well in the Premier League.”
Jurgen Klopp added: “He’s the most exciting manager in this league. He’s still young. What he’s done is really impressive.”
Perhaps the logical next step in Howe’s career is a move to a traditional big club like Arsenal, but for now his focus will be on keeping Newcastle in the Premier League.
Henry will forever be loved at the Emirates for what he achieved at the club, becoming record goalscorer with 228 goals in 377 games.
The Frenchman has earned managerial experience with Monaco and Montreal Impact as well as two stints as Belgium assistant.
Henry was open about his desire to manage Arsenal when he left Montreal earlier this year, telling FourFourTwo magazine: “Listen, if you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to coach Arsenal one day, they’ll say yes.
“If you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to score a goal for Arsenal, they’ll say yes.
“When I speak about it, it’s a utopia. People get carried away whenever I say that it’s my club, but I have it in my blood – I’m an Arsenal fan.
“So if you’re asking me if one day I’d like to coach Arsenal, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to be Arsenal’s kit man, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to cut the grass at the Emirates Stadium, then yes.
“But it’s a utopia, and I am far from that. If you ask me am I dreaming, yes I’m dreaming. But when you’re not dreaming, you’re awake and there is a reality. Would I love to coach Arsenal? Yes. Would I love to go to Barcelona? Yes. Would I like to play for Arsenal again? I’d love to play for them again, but the reality is I can’t!”
Galtier is the least-known of the three favourites on these shores, but has impressed in France with Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice.
He shared the Best Manager of the Year award with Carlo Ancelotti in 2013, for guiding Saint-Etienne into the Europa League.
Galtier won the accolade again in 2019 for taking Lille to second place in Ligue 1 and again in 2021 after winning the title.
