This Arsenal squad is full of talented individuals and big personalities and Mikel Arteta is not afraid to sing the praises of his team.
The Gunners boss is quick to recognise when his players are doing the business and we rarely see the Spaniard call any of his team out.
Instead, Arteta often chooses to big up his players while at the same time, getting a comment in about his own responsibility to said player.
Indeed, speaking about Riccardo Calafiori ahead of the Champions League and Premier League finales, Arteta has lauded the Italian.
🏆👀 Which manager should make way for Mikel Arteta on the Premier League’s Mount Rushmore?
What does Mikel need to do to make the list?
Mikel Arteta praises ‘gem’ Riccardo Calafiori
Some managers love having certain players involved in their squads and it seems Riccardo Calafiori is a player Arteta loves.
The Italian star has been brilliant when fit this season and developed into one of the top left-backs in the Premier League.
Now, Arteta has spoken on Calafiori and given him high praise on and off the field.
“I love him. I think he’s a person with unique charisma and personality. Ricci walks through here and the energy changes, and that’s an incredible power. A lot of the time he doesn’t even realise it,” Arteta commented.
“And my job is to help him stay focused and channel all that energy into where it needs to go, so he can become the player he’s capable of being, because he absolutely has everything.
“He’s a player with incredible ability and, as a person, he’s a gem.”
With Calafiori a slow starter in a way at Arsenal, he has indeed found a home at left-back.
In fact, between him and Piero Hincapie, Arsenal arguably have two of the most powerful and defensively brilliant left-backs in Europe.
It’s a testament to both Calafiori and Hincapie that they’ve got on with the job this season and supported each other when the other one has been missing.
Now, it’s all about celebrating final day success ultimately, bringing the Champions League trophy home too.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
