“They flew down in a helicopter” - John Terry opens up on how Premier League club approached him and Arteta before latter joined Arsenal
Chelsea legend John Terry has revealed that Newcastle United had approached him and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in 2019. He said that the Magpies were looking at young managers when looking for Rafa Benitez's replacement.
On the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast, Terry said that Newcastle owners had come to his house via a helicopter for talks. He added that Arteta was also interviewed for the job and said:
"I had the owners of Newcastle in my house. They flew down in a helicopter. We spoke, they spoke to Arteta, myself and ended up going with Brucey. I look back now and, Jesus, some of the questions, I was miles off it.
"I didn't think about it, but it was such a good learning curve. I'm glad I didn't get it because I was miles out of my depth. But that kind of poked the bear a bit for the next couple (of interviews)."
Newcastle went on to appoint Steve Bruce as the replacement, leading to a massive uproar from fans. They were unhappy that the club had appointed a former Sunderland manager, while Arteta ended up at Arsenal a few months later.
Mikel Arteta confirms Newcastle United approach before Arsenal move
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Newcastle United wanted to appoint him in 2019. He added that the idea crossed his mind but eventually decided to stay put, as he did not want to change his life.
He told the media in 2020 via The Mag:
"I was considering a situation at Newcastle United (in the summer) that could change my professional and personal life. I had to put everything on the table to make that decision. I made the decision to stay where I was (at Manchester City) at the time."
The Arsenal manager added:
"I believe that Newcastle are happy. What Steve (Bruce) has brought to the club has been really, really good.
"The performances and results, compared to where they were last year, they are above any expectation. He has put together a team with great spirit and is a manager with massive, massive experience."
Steve Bruce lasted just over two years at Newcastle before he was sacked. They replaced him with Eddie Howe, who remains their manager.