Darren Bent urges Arsenal to appoint Tottenham-linked Englishman as manager

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Darren Bent has urged Arsenal to replace Mikel Arteta with Brighton manager Graham Potter in a video posted on TalkSPORT’s website on Monday afternoon – amid reports that Tottenham Hotspur want the Seagulls coach.

Since taking over at Brighton in 2019 after an impressive stint as Swansea manager, Potter has only guided Brighton to 21 wins in 82 games – but his attractive style of play has kept Brighton afloat, despite being in a relegation scrap.

Normally down the bottom, teams tend up play more defensively and in a rigid manner but Brighton are much the opposite. Had they had a 20-goal-a-season striker up top, they would have easily been challenging for the top half.

The Standard claimed last week that Spurs were interested in Potter, who earns just £19,000 a week at Brighton – as per the Express. But ex-Spurs striker Bent, who is an Arsenal supporter, urged the Gunners to take a look.

“I think it is time for Mikel Arteta to move on,” Bent said. “My patience is up with him. I think Arsenal need to go in a new direction and bring in somebody who can get the best out of that group of players because right now.

“I like Graham Potter. I know the name is not as attractive as people would like. They’d like a superstar name as a manager. But if you want a manager to play football in the right way then Graham Potter should be in with a shout.”

TBR’s view – Stick with Arteta, or play the long game?

Manchester United are currently reaping the rewards in appointing former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. After a very indifferent start following his interim spell, Solskjaer has got the players buying into his philosophy.

They sit comfortably second in the Premier League and in with a chance of winning the Europa League. You give any United fan that at the start of the season, they bite your hand off. Progression is key and United have it.

They have stuck with Solskjaer through the tricky times and Arsenal need to do the same. The difference? Solskjaer was backed in the windows, will Arteta get the same level of funding? Probably not.