The Arsenal boss worked under Pep Guardiola between 2016 and 2019, which overlapped with the nine seasons during which City have been found to have broken rules and disguised secret funding of more than £830m.
In his first news conference since the ruling—which the club has appealed—Arteta attempted to bat away questions, saying he wanted to "respect" the ongoing process. The briefing at Arsenal’s training ground had been anticipated by the media, given the profound implications of the independent commission’s findings and the manager’s prominent past association with the reigning champions. Throughout the session, the Spanish tactician maintained a calm demeanor, though it was evident he had arrived prepared with a strict messaging strategy designed to navigate the turbulent media landscape surrounding his former employers.
However, towards the end of more than half an hour of questioning, he was pressed directly on his personal and professional integrity during his tenure at the Etihad Stadium. A reporter asked: "You were at City for three and a half years, is your conscience clear? You had a senior position there, is your conscience clear?"
Arteta answered simply: "Yes".
His answer was one word, but it was arguably the most revealing part of the whole interaction. It stood out because it marked the absolute limit of what the manager was willing to offer on a subject that has dominated football discourse.
It was the only occasion where the Spaniard did not in some way revert to his messaging about not giving opinions on the case until such a time as there is a resolution. Up to that point, and in every subsequent exchange, Arteta carefully shielded his thoughts behind institutional diplomacy.
Arteta was at no point combative during the lengthy media session, but it was clear he arrived at Arsenal’s training ground with a response he was determined to stick to. When pressed further about whether he had spoken to his former boss and mentor, Pep Guardiola, regarding the scandal, he offered a swift boundary, stating: "I prefer not to answer those questions."
The press conference had initially turned to Arteta for his reaction to the damning report from the independent commission, which found City had arranged "sham contracts" with a number of commercial partners to disguise earnings over an extended period. The comprehensive report has sent shockwaves through English football, casting a long shadow over an era of unprecedented domestic dominance by the club.
Addressing the commission’s findings and the ongoing legal battles, Arteta told reporters: "I fully understand the question, but obviously I think it’s very important that we respect the process, the timelines, and it’s still an ongoing process that is not resolved because it’s been appealed."
He added, reinforcing his stance on the matter: "My position, and I think the club’s position, is not to make any further comments until this is fully resolved."
The questions soon shifted to the broader health of the competition and whether the uncertainty surrounding one of its elite clubs threatened the standing of the division as a whole. When asked if he thought, in order to preserve the integrity of the Premier League, the appeal and sanction needed to be resolved this season, he replied thoughtfully about the administrative framework of the sport.
"The people are responsible to manage this process and to come to the right conclusions and I’m sure it will be done and it will be resolved in the right way. We have to trust that," Arteta said, placing his faith in the legal and regulatory bodies governing the top flight.
Despite the turbulence caused by the investigation and the subsequent appeal process, Arteta also made a point of expressing his enduring admiration for the competition itself, adding that he "100%" believed the Premier League remains the best in the world.
Amidst the media storm and the intense scrutiny surrounding his past, Arteta and his current squad must quickly refocus on immediate on-field priorities. Arsenal, who currently sit three points behind league leaders Manchester City in the fiercely contested table, face a crucial fixture as they prepare to host fifth-placed Leeds United on Saturday afternoon at the Emirates Stadium.