Mikel Arteta is now thriving in his role as Arsenal manager having returned to his old club nearly five years ago, and he prepared for the role whilst still playing for The Gunners.
Arteta joined as a deadline-day signing in the summer of 2011, with Arsene Wenger signing the midfielder from Everton to help replace Cesc Fabregas.
The Spaniard began as an attack-minded midfielder, but as he got older and Arsenal’s needs changed, he reinvented himself into a defensive midfielder, and Arteta thrived in a pivot alongside Aaron Ramsey.
Arteta became club captain in 2014 after the departure of Thomas Vermaelen, but his game time would decrease dramatically as a result of injuries and age, before he retired in 2016.
He then joined Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, eventually becoming a key assistant, before Arsenal hired Arteta to replace Unai Emery in 2019.
Arteta has since become one of the best managers in European football, transforming Arsenal into title contenders, and his process of becoming a manager actually began in 2015.
Mikel Arteta started coaching Arsenal youth sides in 2015
In his first season as full club captain in 2014-15, Arteta struggled with injury, and the emergence of Francis Coquelin meant he also fell down the pecking order in midfield.
In March 2015, Arsenal were in great form, having beaten Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford, but Arteta was frustrated on the sidelines with injury.
However, Arteta made use of his time away from the pitch, with the Daily Mail reporting at the time that he had started doing his coaching badges, and was helping coach the Arsenal under-13 side.
Arteta would lead training for these academy sides alongside his captain’s duties, whilst a five-month ankle injury kept him out of action until April.
Thierry Henry also spent time coaching some of Hale End’s best talents alongside Arteta in this time, and it was at this point that Arteta begun his journey into management.
Mikel Arteta is inspiring the next set of Arsenal coaches
Arteta penned a one-year deal to keep playing during the 2015-16 season, but he hardly featured as he continued to struggle with injury before retiring.
The veteran also continued to coach in the academy, which first showed the potential for the midfielder to become a manager.
Others are now following in his footsteps. Former players Granit Xhaka, Cedric and Mohamed Elneny also started their coaching badges whilst at Arsenal, and there is talk of Jorginho following Arteta into management when he eventually retires.
Arteta will hope to reward his good work with a major trophy, and if Arsenal do win the Premier League title, it will come 10 years after he first decided to try his hand at coaching.
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