Mikel Arteta has shown deep admiration for Arsène Wenger, his mentor and predecessor, opening up about the enduring influence of Wenger’s values and how they are significantly shaping his strategy at the Emirates Stadium.

• Arteta praises Wenger’s values, stating he implements many in his current managerial approach.
• Arteta was handpicked and nurtured by Wenger, who foresaw his managerial future.
• Wenger’s loyalty to Arsenal and his passion for the game left a profound impact on Arteta.

Mikel Arteta, the current gaffer of Arsenal’s men’s first team, has been effusive in his praise for Arsène Wenger.

Arteta’s homage to Wenger comes as the club unveils a new statue of Wenger outside the Emirates Stadium, an act that cements Wenger’s legendary status and his 22-year tenure at Arsenal, marked by an impressive haul of three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups.

For Arteta, the tribute is merited.

Wenger’s influence on him extends far beyond their time together at Arsenal, where Arteta played under Wenger for five seasons.

“It’s such a great tribute that the club has done something special for Arsène that he fully deserves and merits,” Mikel said. “With a statue now at the stadium, Arsène can have that recognition and be here at our club forever.”

Beyond acknowledging Wenger’s footballing accomplishments, Arteta fondly recalls the personal impact Wenger had on his career.

“I’m so grateful to have played for Arsène at this club in my career. He chose me to be one of his players and selected me to be the captain of the club and that’s something I will never forget,” he revealed.

The Spanish tactician recalls conversations with Wenger that hinted at his future in management. A testament to Wenger’s visionary nature, he had already foreseen Arteta’s career trajectory long before the latter considered it.

“Towards the end of my playing career, I started to speak with Arsène about going into coaching and management myself, and he told me he had already anticipated that.

“Even the first year when I got here, he said to me: ‘one day you are going to be a manager’, and I wasn’t really thinking about that at that time.”

Arteta credits much of his managerial approach to the lessons learned from Wenger. His reverence for Wenger’s loyalty and passion for football is evident as he talks about the values he adopted from the legendary manager.

“I learned so much from him and if I had to pick one of his many great values, it is how loyal he was and how much he defended the club, its players and football in general,” our current boss added.

Wenger’s passion for the game and his unwavering loyalty to the club have left a lasting impact on Arteta. The way Wenger put the club before any personal interest and his commitment to his staff and players are the values Arteta tries to replicate in his own management style.

As Arteta navigates his own path in the world of football management, the Wenger values that he adopted have become central to his approach, making the legendary manager’s influence on Arsenal’s present and future undeniable.

“The way he defended the club, the way he presented himself, the way he was loyal to the players and his staff is something that I really took from him. He is an example for me,” Arteta concludes.