Former Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis believes Mikel Arteta is the right man to be leading the Gunners this season.
In an interview with the Telegraph, the now-chief executive of AC Milan said he is a fan of the Basque coach. Arteta was interviewed by Gazidis for the Arsenal job in 2018 following the departure of Arsene Wenger. However, Unai Emery was appointed for the job.
As we know, Arteta would eventually land the role in 2019 after Emery left the club following a woeful start to the 2019/20 season. And despite some ups and downs, Arsenal have thrown their full support behind the young coach.
Whilst the season started atrociously, Arteta seems to have steadied the ship. Indeed, the Gunners have lost their past two games against Manchester United and Everton, Arsenal remain just four points off the top-four.
The project in north London is no doubt a long-term one. And for Gazidis, Arteta is the ideal coach to lead Arsenal into a new era, with the Milan executive a big fan of the manager who earns a reported £5m-a-year.
Gazidis said when asked about Arteta: “He’s a special person, a natural leader. He has a clarity in the way he communicates. I have no doubt about Mikel’s abilities as a coach and never have.”
Backing from Gazidis highlights what Arteta has done for Arsenal
After last night’s shock defeat to Everton, tensions are once again rising for Arteta at Arsenal. However, this support from Gazidis shows that the 39-year-old coach is doing a solid job this season for the Gunners.
Indeed, Arsenal still have an outside chance of making the top-four despite two losses in a row. And with winnable games coming up this month, Arteta can once again turn the ship around and bring some hope back to the club with some big results against the likes of West Ham and Wolves.
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