Mikel Arteta’s assistant Albert Stuivenberg could leave Arsenal, according to Dutch newspaper AD.
They claim Stuivenberg is a candidate to potentially replace Arne Slot at Feyenoord, amid rumours that he could become Jurgen Klopp's successor at Liverpool.
Stuivenberg has connections to Feyenoord, as he worked in their academy for a number of years, as did his father. He is also seen as someone who would “guarantee attacking football”, while his experience is impressive considering he worked alongside Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, and with Ryan Giggs and Rob Page with Wales.
What impact would Mikel Arteta's assistant leaving have on Arsenal?
Stuivenberg has overseen the Arsenal project under Arteta come into fruition at the Emirates Stadium, where they have gone from consecutive eighth-placed finishes to back-to-back title challenges. They also qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in seven seasons, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years.
Of course, the next big step is winning either the Premier League or Champions League, and they could still win the former this season. Nonetheless, Arteta has not done the job on his own, and Stuivenberg has helped him make certain decisions on and off the pitch for the benefit of the club.
Arteta knows first-hand how hard it is for a manager to lose their assistant, as he was in that very position when he was assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, before leaving to become Arsenal manager. Guardiola has always spoken highly of him, and now the pair are going head-to-head again for the Premier League crown.
Stuivenberg's experience at the highest level means he would be greatly missed by Arteta and Arsenal should he leave, and he would certainly be difficult to replace. However, the chance to become a manager for the first time in his career, like Arteta did, is an opportunity the 54-year-old may wish to accept.
