"He was made for this position" - Ex-Arsenal defender lauds Mikel Arteta's thirst for success and determination

Former Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy has lauded manager Mikel Arteta's desire to win after the Gunners' impressive first half of the Premier League season.

Arsenal currently sit atop the Premier League table with 47 points from 18 games — five more than second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand. Arteta has drawn widespread praise for his work at the club this season.

He currently boasts the youngest squad in the Premier League with an average squad age of 24.1. He has made 21-year-old William Saliba his leader in the backline, while Bukayo Saka (21), captain Martin Odegaard (24) and Gabriel Martinelli (21) do the damage up front.

Speaking about the Spaniard's success this season in north London, Debuchy, who was Arteta's teammate at Arsenal between 2014 and 2016, said (h/t Telefoot):

"He was made for this position. He knows where he wants to go. When I worked with him at Arsenal, you felt someone determined who was thirsty for victory and that shows as a coach."

Debuchy has transformed himself into a centre-back in recent seasons and currently captains Ligue 2 side Valenciennes. Arteta, meanwhile, seems to be headed for glory.

He certainly took his time crafting the winning formula. Having become the club's manager in December 2019, Arteta managed a measly eighth-place finish in his first two seasons at the club.

Signs of improvement were evident last season when the Gunners missed out on the top four by just two points. They are now on their way to their first league title since the 2003-04 campaign under then-manager Arsene Wenger.

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Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal skipper but wants him to keep improving

Manager Mikel Arteta has lavished praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard but has asked him to keep improving.

The Norway international has been a revelation for the Gunners ever since they permanently bought him from Real Madrid in 2021 for a fee of €40 million. He has registered 15 goals and provided nine assists in 53 league matches since the start of last season.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of his team's league clash against Manchester United later today (22 January), the Spanish tactician said:

"[He's taken the armband] in a really natural way. He's still a really young player with huge talent, but more desire than talent. He knows that he can still get much better and he's on that pathway.

"He's enjoying playing for us, he's contributing to a team in a really impactful way and he needs to continue to do that."

He was confirmed as the Gunners' captain last summer, making the then-23-year-old midfielder the youngest captain in the club's history since Francesc Fabregas.