Pep Guardiola will seemingly not stand in Mikel Arteta’s way should the former Arsenal man want to leave Manchester City in the middle of the season.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Josep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City and Mikel Arteta, Assistant Coach of Manchester City applaud fans during the Manchester City Teams Celebration Parade on May 20, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Josep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City and Mikel Arteta, Assistant Coach of Manchester City applaud fans during the Manchester City Teams Celebration Parade on May 20, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

In what seems like an extremely reasonable turn of events, Pep Guardiola has decided he’s not going to be a dick.

With Arsenal’s top execs spotted sneaking from Arteta’s house in the middle of the night and the the Spaniard now the most likely candidate for the job he probably should have been given two seasons ago, Pep seems relatively sanguine about the whole thing.

“He’s part of the huge success we’ve had. He’s an important, important part,” he told Sky Sports after City had thumped Arsenal.

“If it happens, it will happen. What is going to happen I don’t know.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal kicks a water bottle as he is subbed as Interim Manager of Arsenal, Freddie Ljungberg looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on December 15, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 15: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal kicks a water bottle as he is subbed as Interim Manager of Arsenal, Freddie Ljungberg looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on December 15, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

“When he wants to talk we are open to talk but it’s private, I don’t want to make things uncomfortable.”

Arsenal wanted to give the job to Mikel Arteta before Unai Emery performed some sort of magic spell to convince them to go with him instead.

Now that the Spaniard is gone and Freddie hasn’t been able to undo 18 months of awfulness in five minutes, the chase is on to find Arsenal’s new permanent manager.

Asked if he would recommend Arteta as his successor, Guardiola told Sky Sports News: “He is able to do that. But it depends on him, the club, many things that I cannot decide.”

Guardiola also admitted previously that he wouldn’t stand in his way if an offer came in, although he has not yet been approached by any club before saying before the United game, “He will be here until the end of the season, I think so.”