Arteta out? Surprise name tipped to become next Arsenal boss

As the pressure mounts on Mikel Arteta, Darren Bent has named a surprise replacement for the under-fire Arsenal manager.

Darren Bent believes Mikel Arteta should ‘move on’ and he has backed Brighton boss Graham Potter as a potential replacement.

While the FA Cup success from last season is arguably the main reason Arteta remains in the Arsenal dugout, many fans and pundits alike believe the Spaniard is now walking on thin ice after the club’s Europa League exit.

The semi-final defeat to Villarreal last week, along with Arsenal languishing in ninth place in the Premier League, has left the Gunners at risk of no European football next season for the first time in 25 years.

“I think it is time for Mikel Arteta to move on,” Bent, a self-confessed Arsenal supporter, told talkSPORT.

“My patience is up with him. I think Arsenal need to go in a new direction and bring in somebody who can get the best out of that group of players because right now he is not doing that.

“I don’t think players are respecting him like they once did at the very start, and I can only see it going one way.”

The former Tottenham and Aston Villa striker then explained how Potter’s attractive style of play at Brighton could be a good fit for Arsenal.

“I like Graham Potter. I like his philosophy of football,” Bent said.

“I know the name is not as attractive as people would like. They’d like a superstar name as a manager.

“But if you want a manager to come in, play attractive football, work with good players and play football in the right way, then Graham Potter should be in with a shout.”

As things stand, though, former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri remains the favorite to become the next Arsenal boss.