Former Arsenal man Carl Jenkinson has revealed that Mikel Arteta has an ‘aura’ just like Gunners legend Thierry Henry and that ‘when he walks in the room and talks, you listen’.
The Spaniard has transformed the north London side from under-achievers to regular title contenders over the course of his reign.
Last season they ran Pep Guardiola’s Man City all the way to a tense title finale, narrowly missing out on a first Premier League trophy in 20 years by just two points.
The Emirates side went into this campaign as favourites alongside their Manchester rivals and have made a solid start with two wins and a draw from the opening three matches.
And ex-Gunners defender Jenkinson explained the secret behind Arteta’s success at Arsenal in an interview with talkSPORT.
Former Arsenal man Carl Jenkinson has revealed that Mikel Arteta has an ‘aura’
Ex-Gunners defender Jenkinson explained the secret behind Arteta’s success at Arsenal
He said: ‘Arteta has an aura you can’t manufacture if you know what I mean.
‘The way he speaks and when he walks in the room and talks, you listen.
‘Obviously he has the football knowledge to go along with it but that’s something you can’t sort of teach.
‘Thierry Henry would probably be the only other one I would say was similar.
‘But Mikel just had that. If he spoke, you listened.’
Both Jenkinson and Arteta joined Arsenal in 2011 but the pair experienced differing levels of success in north London.
The English defender made just 70 appearances for the club in eight years and had to go on loan to the likes of West Ham, Birmingham and Nottingham Forest to find game time.
The 32-year-old is currently without a club having left Australian side Newcastle United Jets in the summer.
The English defender made just 70 appearances for the club in eight years
Arsenal have been pipped to the Premier League title by Man City in consecutive seasons
In contrast, Arteta turned out for Arsenal 150 times and captained the side from 2014 up until his retirement in 2016.
While at the Emirates, he won the FA Cup twice and the Super Cup twice, dictating Arsene Wenger’s midfield with his pinpoint passing and leadership.
The Spaniard will be hoping to secure the Premier League trophy that alluded him during his playing career this season, and Jenkinson is among a legion of fans who are backing him to end 20 years of Arsenal hurt.
