Toure backs Arteta to become 'one of the best' as Arsenal role looms

Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure thinks Mikel Arteta could become one of the game's best head coaches amid talk of an imminent appointment at Arsenal.

Arteta is said to be on the verge of being named as successor to Unai Emery, who was sacked at the end of November following a run of seven games without a win in all competitions.

Interim boss Freddie Ljungberg has overseen just one victory in five matches, with last Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City leading to calls for the Gunners to accelerate their plans to appoint a permanent boss.

Arteta, assistant to Pep Guardiola at City, could be named the next man at the Arsenal helm in the next 24 hours and Toure has high hopes for the 37-year-old, having worked with him at the Etihad Stadium before his exit in 2018.

"I think he's going to be a very, very good manager because I worked with him for a couple of years, and I saw him doing things, and I think he's going to be good," Toure told Omnisport.

"Man City do have a lot of possibilities. Just money-wise. I want Arsenal to spend more, but he's going to be one of the best if he can do what he wants to do."

Arteta has enjoyed great success with City since becoming Guardiola's assistant in 2016, helping them to two Premier League titles, two EFL Cups and the FA Cup.

This season has been more problematic, though, with City 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after only 17 matches.

Toure, three times a league champion at City, thinks his old club have been unfortunate this term with injuries to centre-backs and striker Sergio Aguero in particular.

"Unlucky, very unlucky," he said. "They always have major players out with injuries, but it's part of the game – sometimes you lose key players in key moments.

"But for me, the best player will always be Kun Aguero. They miss him a lot, but they're going to come back from injury, and they will work it out.

"I think he's a player that everybody wants to play with. If you're a good player, then you want to play with these kinds of players. Aguero's been great for me, he's been the player I wanted to play with.

"And maybe if I get the chance, I can coach that sort of player because he's so clever, he's so short, but he's a goalscorer and I love him."

Toure has plenty of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, though, particularly forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

"I think what Klopp is doing, and what Liverpool are achieving over the last few years is amazing. I think they're going to win the Premier League this season for sure," he added.

"Salah has been doing very well over the last two years, but Sadio Mane this year has been great. It's difficult to choose between those two because they have different qualities."