Mikel Arteta's chances of taking over from Arsene Wenger at Arsenal now look a lot rosier, after one of the frontrunners backed away from the job and current boss Pep Guardiola said he wouldn't stand in Arteta's way.

It was understood that Arteta and his Action Man hair had been behind Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri on Arsenal's shortlist, which is also reckoned to include Patrick Vieira and Hoffenheim's Julian Nagelsmann.

However, the man once nicknamed 'anchovy' because of his thin, fishy build has pledged himself to Juve.

"If they don't sack me, I'll stay at Juventus next year too," said Allegri, who apparently intends to see out the last year of his contract before attempting his long-threatened jump to English football.

At the same time, Pep Guardiola's overture to try to persuade Arteta to remain his assistant at Manchester City was thoroughly laced with a very wistful if-you-love-something-set-it-free kind of a vibe.

"Mikel’s contribution was outstanding, amazing," Guardiola said in a press conference after City's 1-0 win over Southampton.

"We were together so good, all the staff, so if he stays I will be happiest guy in the world. If he decides to move because he has this offer, this option, I will not say you don’t have to go."

"I want the best for my friends, and he’s a friend of mine, and I want the best. If he decide to go, I will be so sad, but I will understand his decision, because it’s his career, his life, his family, and I am not the right guy to say you don’t have to do that.

"But hopefully hopefully he can stay and finish what we have started together in the coming years."