Steve Round has confirmed Mikel Arteta’s approach to join him in the coaching staff at Arsenal, as well as giving his views on the situation.

It’s not a secret that Steve Round is going to join Mikel Arteta’s coaching team. The former Manchester United and Everton assistant coach was in the stands with Edu and Mikel Arteta before the Everton game over the weekend, after all.

Arsenal haven’t announced anything though, leaving that slight element of doubt. Speaking to talkSPORT, Round himself confirmed Arteta’s call to make him an offer.

“Mikel called me in the week and asked me if I wanted to join his staff,” Round confirmed. “I jumped at the chance straight away. It’s a great opportunity, it’s a magnificent football club.”

Arteta knew Round from their time together at Everton previously. The Arsenal head coach was a player back then, so he has first-hand experience of Round’s coaching capabilities.

The former Aston Villa director of football has similar faith in Arteta’s potential as a head coach, as he explained in the talkSPORT interview.

“Just having the brief conversations I’ve had with Mikel up to now, and knowing him how I do, I think he’s going to be a really really top manager,” Round continued.

“It’s a bold decision (from Arsenal) because he’s young and it’s his first time. But having spoken to him and found (out) his ideas on football and his philosophy and the way he wants to build a culture, he sounds to me like a really experienced guy already.

“I had the privilege of coaching him as a player at Everton. He was an outstanding professional then. We always got on very well. It’s great to be back.”

Arsenal need the two to gel quickly, with their first game against Bournemouth coming up on Thursday. David Ornstein claims Arteta wants six people in his coaching team, naming Freddie Ljungberg and Brentford’s Inaki Cana as well.

Whether the club can fill the remaining three places by Thursday remains to be seen.