'I would have loved to have had him closer' - Arteta on possibly having Wenger at Arsenal

Arsenal has witnessed a dream start to 2022-23 EPL. While Mikel Arteta has done a great job, he has revealed that he would have loved to have Arsene Wenger closer to seek guidance from him.

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English giants Arsenal has gotten off to a dream start in the English Premier League (EPL) 2022-23. In six games, it has won five and lost one, with the only loss coming to fifth-placed English giants Manchester United, while it travels to face off against fellow Londoners, ninth-placed Brentford on Sunday. Head coach Mikel Arteta has done a great job so far and has been heavily backed to end Arsenal's EPL drought. While Arteta is glad that the club and the management have supported him despite a tough last season, he has admitted that he would have loved to have legendary former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger closer to him to seek guidance from him.

Talking to The Mirror, Arteta said, "I would have loved to have had him [Wenger] closer to have the opportunity to open up and, in certain periods, listen and learn from him and everything he has been through. But, he did it in a way to make sure that whoever comes after him had the respect and space he believed was important, and he honoured that."

Under Wenger, Arsenal witnessed considerable success, as the Frenchman transformed the side into an English giant. Over two decades, the Gunners were quite a force in England, as it won the EPL on three instances under him, along with seven FA Cup and FA Community Sheild titles each. Also, it was unbeaten throughout its 2003-04 EPL title-winning campaign, earning it the 'Invincibles' tag.

Wenger quit Arsenal in 2018, and since then, he has not gotten involved in any club activities, unlike Sir Alex Ferguson, who remains closely associated with English giants Manchester United. Notably, Arteta also played under Wenger at the club between 2011-16, winning two FA Cup and FACS titles each.