Kevin de Bruyne says Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta will have the blessing of the players if he opts to leave the club to take over at Arsenal.
The former Gunners midfielder has been linked with a move to the Emirates since the dismissal of his countryman Unai Emery.
Freddie Ljungberg has taken over on an interim basis but, with Sunday's 3-0 thrashing at the hands of City as the latest example, has done little to prevent Arsenal from falling further down the Premier League table.
Editors' Picks
Arsenal's managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, and director of football operations, Huss Fahmy, were pictured leaving Arteta's home in Manchester in the early hours of Monday morning, although Manchester City were left completely in the dark as the Gunners failed to mention any interest in the Spaniard during Sunday's match.