He was ruthless in freezing out and offloading players that didn’t match his high standards and, in time, replaced them with players boasting the right attitude as well as talent.
Ben White is one such player, joining Arsenal for £50million in 2021 and going on to justify his hefty transfer fee.
The 27-year-old began life as a centre-back but eventually cemented his spot as the Gunners’ first-choice right-back.
This week, White spoke to the Arsenal media team about his career so far, and he touched upon the fitness routines of some of his teammates.
White named one Gunners player who he looked up to, saying he’s “a great example in how he trains” and is “amazing” in terms of his professionalism.
Ben White of Arsenal celebrates with teammates Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka after scoring his side's second goal during the Premier League match...
Ben White hails Martin Odegaard’s ‘amazing’ professionalism
The player in question is Martin Odegaard, who has been a huge success story at N5 since Arsenal signed him from Real Madrid in 2021.
“Martin Odegaard is a great example in how he trains,” said White.
“He’s always getting massages, having a cold bath and making the most of things like that. His preparation and professionalism is amazing.”
Odegaard was one of the best youngsters in world football when he joined Real Madrid at just 16 years of age in 2015.
He was on their books until 2021, but only made a few senior competitive appearances for them.
Odegaard also took in four loan spells, including the one at Arsenal that led to Arteta signing him permanently.
Arsenal reportedly paid just £30million for the 25-year-old, which has proven to be one of the bargains of the century.
What Santi Cazorla said about Martin Odegaard earlier this year
Arsenal cult hero Santi Cazorla previously spoke highly of Odegaard, telling The Guardian that he feels the Gunners captain is similar to him.
“I love Odegaard and see myself in him,” Cazorla told the newspaper earlier this year.
“Like him, I found a coach [Arsene Wenger] who gave me confidence. He made me captain before I could say ‘hola’ in English.”
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