'I didn't think twice about moving to Arsenal – Mikel Arteta even tried to sign me before'

Arsenal's Jorginho has admitted that joining Mikel Arteta's squad from Chelsea was an easy decision to make.

The 32-year-old midfielder first arrived on English soil in 2018 for a reported £53million, following Maurizio Sarri - who was his boss at Napoli for three years - to Stamford Bridge as part of a package.

He enjoyed a stellar spell with the Blues, winning a Europa League title - against the Gunners no less - and the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel. Away from the Premier League, he also tasted victory at Euro 2020 with his nation.

However, when Arteta called, Jorginho admitted there was no hesitation, and the project that the Spaniard was developing in north London was too hard to turn down.


"It happened really quick, because it was in the last two days of the transfer window closing. I saw that my time at Chelsea was basically finished there," Jorginho stated on the Seaman Says podcast via Betway.

"I didn't feel part of the project anymore, and sometimes you just need to accept and move on. When I had the call, I didn't think twice because I knew that Mikel [Arteta] tried to sign me before and it didn't happen.

Jorginho has become an important squad player under Arteta
Jorginho has become an important squad player under Arteta
"I saw the way the team was playing, which suits my qualities, and I believed that I could add to the team so it was a yes, straight away."

The combative midfielder arrived for a reported £12m in January 2023 and entered the Arsenal midfield before it underwent a revamp the upcoming summer. Granit Xhaka would depart the Emirates, making way for Declan Rice to join from West Ham for £100m.

Arteta’s team has mounted consecutive title challenges during Jorginho’s tenure, but Pep Guardiola's Manchester City has thwarted them in both instances.

When asked whether Arteta's immediate faith in the midfield star helped him commit to starting a fresh chapter at Arsenal, Jorginho simply replied, "That helps a lot.

Jorginho often features at the base of Arsenal's midfield in place of England star Rice
"You know where you are going, what to expect, and everything is so organised and projected in a way that you see that it's going to work out well. Being part of a project like that is something you'd be proud of. So there was no hesitation."

The Italian penned a new 'short-term deal' with the club in May of this year, having joined on an initial 18-month contract that was set to expire this summer.

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