Theo Walcott identifies ex-Arsenal pal as perfect 'replacement’ for Pep Guardiola at Man City
Theo Walcott can see a bright future in management for one of his former Arsenal team-mates, who he's even backed to take over at Manchester City when Pep Guardiola departs
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott has tipped his old team-mate Cesc Fabregas as the potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The 35-year-old, who spent 12 years at the Emirates, was speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport's The Monday Night Club show alongside Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Match of the Day 2 host Mark Chapman.
He praised the Spaniard's success at Como, where the World Cup winner is currently an assistant coach and minority shareholder, celebrating their recent promotion to Serie A for the first time in over two decades, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Fabregas, 37, played with Walcott in north London for five years before returning to his boyhood club Barcelona in a £30million move in 2011. He described his former colleague as a "born winner", likening him to fellow Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta.
READ MORE: Watch the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund with TNT SportsREAD MORE: Man City and Arsenal Premier League title permutations as battle goes to final day"He's a born winner, very similar to the way you see someone like Xabi Alonso or a Mikel Arteta or even a Pep Guardiola coming through," said the ex-England international.
"I just feel he's got that aura about him, again when he speaks the players listen, they're attractive to players now, it'll be a great club to go to [and] great place to live.
"He's a sort of man that you wanna listen to him, he's got so much knowledge and that belief and that hard work that influences so many players to develop into a manager that isn't going to stand still.
"He's going to want more and more success. I just love the fact that when he speaks, he's so passionate still and that's really important to hear and see."
Walcott has set high expectations for the 2010 World Cup winner and feels he would be a great successor to Guardiola at Etihad. "He must be so proud because they haven't been there in 21 years, that says it all that he started his young career at 16," continued Walcott.
"Now he's developing this new career which is only going to improve and hopefully we'll see him in the Premier League because he'll be brilliant and he'll be a good replacement for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City at some point."
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