Encouragement is once again being offered at Emirates Stadium, with the club’s academy manager hailing the efforts of a former team-mate in the dugout
Per Mertesacker is backing Mikel Arteta to deliver a “fantastic future” at Arsenal, with the Gunners setting out ambitious goals as they seek to get their “DNA” back.
The Gunners were once accustomed to challenging for the grandest of prizes on domestic and European stages. Major silverware has continued to trickle in, but the north London giants are not the force they were at the height of Arsene Wenger’s managerial powers.
Unai Emery was unable to get the Gunners firing again, meaning that fellow Spaniard Arteta was appointed in his place. There are considered to have been signs of encouragement across the early months of his reign, but Arsenal remain very much a work in progress.
Every effort is being made to get the right pieces of the puzzle in place on and off the field, with Mertesacker expecting his former team-mate to get things right where it matters most.
The former Germany international defender, who is now academy manager at Emirates Stadium, told Arsenal Player of Arteta’s promise and collective targets: “I’m so delighted that Mikel has a place where he belongs, that’s my belief and that was my belief already as a player.
“His leadership is fantastic and I felt it myself, just being vice-captain and learning from him, how to handle situations, how to man up, be the captain and show it, but as well to have the empathy and the feeling for people.
“I learned a lot from him and I can only say that our working relationship is great and our personal relationship is great, so I can see a fantastic future for us.
“It’s just building pieces with Edu as well, so I think we’re in a fantastic position. We don’t take anything for granted, now is the time to really push on and make sure we come back to where we belong, and that’s the Champions League and having world-class players in the building, and having world-class young players.
“We want to build on our DNA that was developed over centuries, so we cannot forget the history and the greatness of the club. We are inheriting that and we are sons of so many greats that have led this club to greatness, so it’s a big responsibility, not only for myself but for Mikel, Edu and all the great leadership we have.
“I feel we have more and more people in the right places and I feel great about it.”
Arsenal entered the coronavirus-enforced break in English football sat ninth in the Premier League, eight points adrift of the top four but still in contention for Champions League qualification and also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
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