Mikel Arteta says he feels “back home” after returning to Arsenal and wants to set about ensuring everyone involved with the club is on the same wavelength from the board to the players to the fans. The Spaniard was appointed the club’s new head coach on a three-and-a-half year contract on Friday afternoon.
In doing so, Arteta comes back to a team where he spent five seasons as a player, including two as a captain, and where he hung up his boots in 2016 before stepping into coaching.
After three years acting as Pep Guardiola’s No 2 at Manchester City, the 37-year-old feels it is the right time to take up his first senior role in management.
But he faces a tough task taking over in north London, with Arsenal sat 10th in the Premier League and their slide having continued even since Unai Emery was sacked at the end of last month.
Freddie Ljungberg has stepped in as interim boss but has only won one of five games in temporary charge at the Emirates Stadium.
And Arteta detailed his plans to transform the Gunners’ fortunes upon his return, as he looks to stop the rot at Arsenal which has seen them fail to qualify for the Champions League for the last six seasons and which this term pits them with a huge challenge to end that run.
The former midfielder got a glimpse of that first hand last weekend when, as Guardiola’s assistant he helped oversee City’s 3-0 win over his old club.
“I feel back home,” Arteta said in his first official press conference. “I’m extremely happy and proud to have been given the opportunity to be manager of this club.
“I’ve been preparing for a few years for this challenge to come. I know the expectations and stature of this club and what it deserves.
“I’m ready for the challenge and can’t wait to start working with the players. I’m sensing a good energy since coming in today. I’m so happy.
“It was strange [coming back]. I’m in a different role and position when I left a few years ago.
“It was always a dream from the day I left.
“When I left I said I’m going outside, I’m going to learn and get prepared and hopefully one day I can come back here when I feel I am ready to make that step.
“I have so much respect for this club that if I didn’t feel ready and prepared I wouldn’t be sitting in this chair.”
On the tasks that await him, Arteta explained: “The first thing to do is change the energy. Last week I was here with Manchester City and I was a little down after the game.
“We have to try to engage everyone. We have to convince the players of what I want and how I want to do it. They have to accept a different way of thinking.
“I want to get all the staff with the same mindset. We have to build a culture to sustain the rest. After that we can talk about other things. We need to start winning games and raising the level of confidence of the players.
“Finally we need to engage the fans and transmit with our behaviours our intentions of what we want to bring.
“That’s the only way they’ll give us a little bit and we’ll feel that connection.
“We have to plug these things together. There is so much to do, I’m so excited.”
Arteta is only the fifth man ever with no prior managerial experience to take permanent charge of one of the Premier League’s top six teams.
He is only the second since Ruud Gullity in 1998, after Tim Sherwood’s spell with Tottenham in 2013.
And Arteta admits he can understands why Arsenal fans might be worried he is inexperienced.
“I completely understand their concerns. That’s the only thing I can say,” he added.
“I will try to convince them I am prepared. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t feel prepared. I will [use] every drop of blood to make this football club better.”
Arteta will be in the stands on Saturday (12.30pm) when Arsenal take on Everton, who will also have a new boss at Goodison Park in Carlo Ancelotti, who likewise won’t be in the dugout.