Manchester City just got hammered with a guilty verdict for a staggering 114 financial rule breaches, an independent commission dropped this bomb during the international break, revealing the club used “sham” contracts and disguised funding to the tune of over £900m between 2009 and 2018. Yeah, you read that right, NINE HUNDRED MILLION POUNDS. City is still out here pleading innocence, though, launching an appeal. Their manager, Enzo Maresca, is backing the owners hard, saying they’ll clear their name. City CEO Ferran Sorriano even went and called the whole thing a “Premier League conspiracy theory” in a leaked video to staff, so you know they’re not going down quietly.
Arteta’s History with the Champs, and His Cool Vibe
Now, here’s where it gets wild: Mikel Arteta, the guy everyone’s watching now, was actually Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach at City from 2016 to 2019. That means he was right there, part of the coaching crew that saw them win two Premier League titles, including the 2017/18 season, which was right at the tail end of this massive nine-year breach period. So, when the press grilled him about the verdict, you’d expect *some* kind of strong take, right? Nope.
Arteta was all about keeping it cool, telling everyone: “I fully understand the question, but obviously I think it’s very important that we respect the process and the timelines.” He made it clear it’s “still an ongoing process that is not resolved, because it’s been appealed,” and his club’s position is “not to make any further comments until this is fully resolved.” He gets the “noise around it,” but for him, it’s about respect. He didn’t even bite when asked if the verdict would fire up City’s current title push, just saying, “I don’t know, it’s something that’s not in our hands, we’re preparing to play Leeds.” That’s classic Arteta, laser-focused on his own squad, ignoring the outside chaos.
New Contract, New Chapter for Arteta
Away from all the Man City drama, Arteta’s been having a pretty sweet week himself. He just inked a contract extension with the Gunners, keeping him there until 2030! You gotta love that long-term commitment. He was super grateful, saying, “My family are very grateful to be able to enjoy this unbelievable right to continue.” Sounds like a guy who’s exactly where he wants to be. He mentioned that he and the club were always on the same page, and he “loved the way it was handled.” For him, seeing all those “smiley faces and excitement in their eyes” when signing the deal? That’s the real win.
So, while the Premier League is buzzing with this huge financial scandal, Arteta’s just over here, locked in for the future, ready to manage his team in Saturday’s early kick-off against Leeds. It’s a fresh start for him after securing his future, and you know he’ll want to make a statement on the pitch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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