Future PSG manager? Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘on the list of big coaches’ but Pep Guardiola ruled out of the running for return with Champions League winners

The Spaniard, who previously enjoyed considerable success when calling shots at Barcelona, has extended his contract in the French capital through to the summer of 2030. He remains fully committed to an exciting project.

There will come a day, though, when bags are packed in Paris and a prominent coaching post becomes available. At that point, the kings of Ligue 1 will have a big decision to make on who they turn to next.

Tacticians from every corner of the planet would welcome the opportunity to work with a star-studded squad and put the riches of Qatar Sports Investments to good use in the transfer market.

Arteta is likely to be a candidate that PSG will have their eye on, given that he boasts ties to the club from a loan spell as a player in 2001-02. He has seen his stock soar as a coach after first taking the reins at Arsenal in December 2019.

The 44-year-old has reached 370 games in charge of the Gunners, leading them to FA Cup, Community Shield and Premier League title triumphs - while also reaching the Champions League final in 2026, where penalty shootout heartache was endured at the hands of PSG.

Arsenal remain determined to get their hands on continental football’s biggest prize for the first time in their history, but there is not much more for Arteta to achieve in north London. With that in mind, a new challenge will likely be sought at some stage.

Asked if Arteta could become the next man up in Paris, former PSG midfielder Mulumbu - who was speaking in association with Parimatch Online Casino - told GOAL: “Yeah, definitely. He showed with Arsenal that he's a really good coach. He built this team from scratch. Because when Arsene Wenger left, it was a big construction to do in the team.

“He showed that with years, he progressed with this team. They won the league last year and they were in the final of the Champions League. So he's definitely on the list of the big coaches.”

Arteta has left the door open for a future return to familiar surroundings in France, saying back in 2021: “I love Paris, I love Paris. I have very good memories from over there. It was my first club as a professional. The club is always in my heart. You never know but I have a lot of work to do [at Arsenal].”

Arteta will not be the only runner in the race to take over at PSG, with the dominant force in Ligue 1 able to attract pretty much any coach they want. It would not come as much of a surprise if Pep Guardiola were to be tempted by the project on offer in Paris.

The Catalan tactician has already worked in Spain, Germany and England with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. He is currently taking a sabbatical and has been mooted as a potential successor to Manchester United-bound Mauricio Pochettino with the USMNT.

Quizzed on whether we could see Guardiola in In France, Mulumbu added: “I don't know. I don't see him coming to PSG after Luis Enrique. I think for Pep right now, he will rest a little bit and maybe he will get a national team, just like Zinedine Zidane.”

Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping that they are many years away from having to make a decision on their next manager. Complete trust continues to be shown in Enrique, given his exploits across the last three seasons.

He will want a fresh start at some point, though, and a swap deal of sorts cannot be ruled out that sees Arteta reunite with PSG and Enrique take on a Premier League adventure at Emirates Stadium.