Everton legend Andy Gray has urged the Toffees to be ready to move to appoint Mikel Arteta if Pep Guardiola is replaced by Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Manchester City.
Guardiola has established Manchester City as the dominant force in English football, but is yet to win the Champions League with the Citizens.
He has been subject to criticism that he cannot win the Champions League without having Lionel Messi at his disposal, but Manchester City are amongst the favourites to lift this year's trophy.
It has been suggested that Guardiola could move on if he does win the Champions League and Manchester City recently appointed Van Bronckhorst to a role which sees him work with the club's ownership group, across several sides, to get up to speed on their ways of working.
Gray admits he is hoping that Manchester City are grooming Van Bronckhorst to take over as it would open up the possibility for Everton to appoint Citizens assistant Arteta.
"I know there's a lot of people in the game that I talk to who think if he can win the Champions League with Man City this season that he might call it a day because they are grooming Van Bronckhorst", Gray said on his beIN SPORTS podcast.
"I hope they are grooming Van Bronckhorst by the way because if they are then I want Everton to go and get Mikel Arteta and get him back there.
"Why not? Why not? I think he would be great."
Arteta had a spell from Everton running from 2005 until 2011 and established himself as a firm favourite at Goodison Park.
