Jack Wilshere praises Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for possessing one trait that 'isn't easy to have'

Former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere says that Mikel Arteta was “different to anyone that I had experienced” when he first joined Arsenal.

Wilshere, who played with Arteta over a decade ago, highlighted the Spaniard's unique qualities, describing him as a leader unlike any other he had encountered.

Arteta's arrival at Arsenal, as recounted by the former Hale End graduate, heralded a significant shift, with the Gunners boss' exceptional technical skills and deep understanding of the game immediately setting him apart.

“When Mikel Arteta came to Arsenal, you could tell straight away that he was a leader – he was different," Wilshere told William Hill.

"He was a good player and he was technically very good. His understanding of the game was great and he was a leader and talker. He was different to anyone that I had experienced at the point when he came in.

“I was injured and in a boot when he joined. On his first day he asked me, ‘how long are you out for Jack?’ It was as straight as that. He told me I needed to hurry up and get back and as little as that may sound, to me he understood that I was a good player and he wanted me back in the team – no one else had really ever done that. He led by example, he was always on time and did everything else that you would expect from someone like Mikel.

Wilshere departed Arsenal in 2018 due to persistent injury woes. However, he recalls noticing signs during his time at the club that hinted at Arteta's potential to thrive as a successful manager.

“He was very much an arm around the shoulder, empathetic kind of person. Whenever I see Mikel, he's getting more and more intense. More and more passionate. He's so focused. However, I remember him having heated discussions with other team members from time to time, he could be both types of leader; we saw that with how he dealt with Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang in the documentary.

“One of the traits I really like about him is that he has a lot of humility. That is not an easy thing to have as a Premier League manager. As a player, he would challenge managers in individual moments and specific processes. He would be the guy representing the team to question whether things like match preparation and game plans were right for us.”