Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta is reportedly in talks with Manchester City over a possible move that will see him take up a player-coach role next term.
According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Andres Iniesta is being lined up as Mikel Arteta’s replacement at Manchester City. The Premier League champions are set to offer the Spaniard, who is set to move away from Barcelona in the summer transfer window, a player-coach role next season.
Iniesta has enjoyed one of the most storied careers in the history of the game, enjoying unprecedented success at both the club and international levels, with Barcelona and Spain, respectively. The player has, in fact, won every trophy on offer, while racking up over 800 career appearances.
But, after a stellar journey with Barcelona, the 34-year-old is set to call time on his stint at Camp Nou, despite signing a lifetime contract with the club not too long ago. China, Japan and USA have all been touted as his next destination, but Manchester City are looking to tempt him with an interesting offer.
The Citizens look primed to lose the services of Mikel Arteta in the summer, with the Spaniard tipped to become the next Arsenal manager. Arteta’s departure will leave the assistant manager spot vacant at Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola is looking to fill the space by adding the Barcelona captain to his coaching staff.
The move would allow Iniesta to continue playing for a few more years, which would benefit Manchester City on the field as well. Indeed, as he has shown over the course of the season with Barcelona, the veteran midfielder still oozes class when his minutes are managed smartly.
The move would also allow Iniesta to try his hand at conquering another major European league after dominating in Spain with Barcelona for more than a decade-and-a-half. His arrival should also benefit the midfielders at Manchester City, helping Guardiola drive home his philosophy at the Etihad.
The role could also help Iniesta make a smooth transition from a player to a coach, once he has retired. The report also suggests that the player is seriously considering the move, with the opportunity to coach one of the best sides in the world being quite tempting.
But, Iniesta had initially suggested that he would be moving away from Europe to avoid the risk of playing against Barcelona, and a move to Manchester City would see him go back on his word. It will now be interesting to see if he indeed reunites with Guardiola in the summer to replace Arteta, or if he moves elsewhere instead.
