Wenger left me foundations to succeed at Arsenal, says Arteta

The legendary Arsenal manager’s legacy lives on as Mikel Arteta opens up about what his predecessor left behind at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta believes Arsene Wenger left him the ‘foundations’ required for a rebuilding job at Arsenal.

It’s been over three years since Wenger’s two-decade-long reign ended in 2018. Two different managers in Unai Emery and Arteta have taken charge, yet yielded undesirable results. The former lasted just 516 days in the post, while the latter is still trying to restore some pride at the Emirates.

Arteta’s 644 days in the dugout have been anything but smooth. Despite FA Cup and Community Shield glory in the first year, Arsenal have slipped outside the Premier League’s top six. The Gunners also failed to qualify for Europe in 2020/21 for the first time in 25 years, and currently sit down in 13th place in this season’s league table.

Consecutive 1-0 wins over Norwich and Burnley, though, have lifted a little pressure off Arteta’s shoulders and the Spaniard remains confident he is on the right path.

“I think those foundations are in place [for future success],” the Arsenal boss told Sky Sports.

“I think those foundations are in place because of people like Arsene [Wenger] and what he did for this football club. When he left, everything didn’t go with him. A lot of things stayed.

“I think the biggest thing that stayed is the way that he was able to educate and transmit the values and respect and what this club is about. I think he was incredibly good at engaging people to believe in what he and the club were trying to do.

“He did it in a magnificent way because he played really attractive football when he was able to recruit some top talent that just glide together in a generation that just brought a lot of joy and fun to the football world in general and of course to Arsenal supporters.”

Arsenal are back in action on Sunday for a north London derby against local rivals Tottenham in the Premier League. Check out the match details and betting tips here.