Paul Merson has claimed that he could see Patrick Vieira replacing Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta next season.
Arteta joined the Gunners back in December 2019, succeeding fellow Spaniard Unai Emery. He has won an FA Cup and also overseen back-to-back eighth-placed Premier League finishes during his time in the managerial hot seat, with his side currently sitting fifth ahead of this weekend's clash against Everton.
However, former Arsenal midfielder Merson has claimed that he could see Arteta getting the sack next season, with Crystal Palace head coach Vieira a potential replacement. Merson wrote on SportsKeeda: “Patrick Vieira has done an outstanding job this season and has changed the way Palace play.
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“They’ve been unlucky with a couple of last-minute goals going against them, but he’s sort of overhauled an ageing squad and adopted an attractive brand of football. Could he be the next Arsenal manager?
"It all depends on timing, for me. When Sir Alex Ferguson was about to retire in the early 2000s, a handful of names were reportedly in the running to replace him but none of those links came to fruition. Arsenal have given Mikel Arteta a new contract but if he starts the 2022-23 Premier League season with a series of underwhelming results and Vieira does so with a string of wins, he could well be the next Gunners boss."
Arteta was unable to get the better of Vieira this season, drawing 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a last-gasp Alexandre Lacazette finish before the Eagles produced a dominant display in a 3-0 victory at Selhurst Park last month.
