Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta

Arteta playing for Arsenal in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Mikel Arteta Amatriain
Date of birth	(1982-03-26) 26 March 1982 (age 34)
Place of birth	San Sebastián, Spain
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Manchester City (joint-assistant coach)
Youth career
1994–1997	Antiguoko
1997–1999	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999	Barcelona C	5	(1)
1999–2002	Barcelona B	42	(3)
2001–2002	→ Paris Saint-Germain (loan)	31	(2)
2002–2004	Rangers	50	(12)
2004–2005	Real Sociedad	15	(1)
2005	→ Everton (loan)	12	(1)
2005–2011	Everton	162	(27)
2011–2016	Arsenal	110	(14)
Total		427	(61)
National team
1998–1999	Spain U16	10	(4)
1999	Spain U17	7	(0)
1999–2001	Spain U18	13	(1)
2002–2003	Spain U21	12	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:00, 15 May 2016 (UTC).

Mikel Arteta Amatriain (born 26 March 1982) is a retired Spanish professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the co-assistant coach of Manchester City, alongside fellow co-assistant Brian Kidd, Domènec Torrent and manager Pep Guardiola.

Arteta started out as a trainee with FC Barcelona but could not break his way into the first team and was eventually loaned to Paris Saint-Germain in the French league. He was then signed by Scottish Premier League club Rangers with whom he would win the domestic treble of the league, Scottish Cup and League Cup in the season of 2002–03. After success in Scotland, Arteta moved back to Spain and to his Basque roots to play for Real Sociedad but failed to establish himself within the first team and was loaned to Everton for the remainder of the 2004–05 season, prior to signing permanently in July 2005. He then made a permanent transfer to Arsenal in 2011, and was appointed captain of the club in August 2014. Arteta won two FA Cups and two FA Community Shields with Arsenal, before his contract expired at the end of the 2015–16 season.

Arteta has represented Spain at under-21 level, but he did not play for the senior national team.

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Arteta began his football career at Antiguoko and befriended fellow midfielder Xabi Alonso as they would play together every weekend. The two would often play along the beaches and gutters of San Sebastián and dreamed of playing together at Real Sociedad. Arteta left for the FC Barcelona B squad at 15 years of age while Alonso signed for Real Sociedad later. Despite his potential Arteta failed to break into the first team, and went out on loan to French club Paris Saint-Germain in December 2000. In Paris, during a season and a half, Arteta was used by manager Luis Fernandez primarily as a playmaker. PSG wanted to keep Arteta at the end of the loan period, and did have a buy first option. However Arteta transferred to Rangers in March 2002, after the Scottish club made a more financially impressive offer to Barcelona.