Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is impressed with the progress Mikel Arteta has made at the club. Fabregas sees Arteta’s work as potentially transforming Arsenal into a dominant force in the Premier League, similar to what Pep Guardiola has achieved at Manchester City.
Before Guardiola took over City in 2016, they weren’t known for consistently competing for major titles. Under his leadership, however, City has amassed an impressive collection of trophies, including one UEFA Champions League and six Premier League titles, making them a powerhouse in both domestic and European football.
Arteta, who started his coaching career as Guardiola’s assistant at City, hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success yet. Since taking charge of Arsenal in 2019, he has secured one FA Cup and two Community Shields. Despite this, his Arsenal side has been competitive, especially in the last two seasons, pushing City for the Premier League title until the final stages of the campaigns, notably in the 2023-2024 season.
Fabregas acknowledges the significant strides Arsenal has made under Arteta. He believes it’s only a matter of time before the team’s full potential is realized. Reflecting on Arsenal’s second-place finish this season, Fabregas considers it a notable accomplishment.
“It’s still an achievement. They don’t give it that much attention either because it’s, ‘oh, they always win’, but it’s very difficult, very difficult,” Fabregas told El Larguero. “They have a lot of money and they have the best players, but it is also very difficult because you are competing in the Champions League against Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.”
“In the Premier League, Arsenal are creating a monster too, and they [City] continue to beat them and compete well. It’s not the end.”
