Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Arsene Wenger was his inspiration to become a football manager and has invited the Frenchman to take up a role at the club again.
Wenger, 71, left Arsenal in 2018 after 22 years in charge and is now working as FIFA’s chief of global football development.
Arteta played under Wenger for five years before retiring in 2016 and moving into a coaching role at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.
Arteta returned to Arsenal as head coach in December 2019 and credits his former boss for giving him the belief to start a career in management.
Speaking toSky Sports Newsat the premiere of “Arsene Wenger: Invincible” on Tuesday night, Arteta said: “If it was not for him I would not be in the position I am today and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the career I had.
Pushed on whether Wenger is the reason he became a manager, Arteta added: “100 per cent. I was still young and I had my ideas, but he was a different level of inspiration on how I looked at the game.
“He was very good at being able to transmit what a football club meant into the players and he put different question marks on me. That is why I started to study and take coaching much more seriously.
“I would like him to be more present at the club. I think the players would love him, benefit, and be inspired to have him around and I think for the club it would be a huge boost.
“It was so intense for him for over 20 years and you need to get away a little bit, but I think it would be so beneficial for all parties to have him more present.”
