Pep Guardiola may have left the Premier League but his influence will remain for years to come, according to Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal boss is ready to launch his side’s title defence but not before a quick pep talk with the former Manchester City manager.
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The Gunners face Coventry in their Premier League opener on Friday evening – live on talkSPORT – hoping to pick up from where they left off last season.
And that was putting Guardiola’s Manchester City side in their place to claim a first title in 22 years.
Arteta’s ex-mentor Guardiola called time on his decade-long tenure at the Etihad Stadium in May and the Arsenal boss admits it was strange not to see his compatriot on the sidelines during last Sunday’s Community Shield between the two clubs.
Not facing Guadiola was a bizarre feeling
“It was different,” Arteta told talkSPORT. “Obviously I know Enzo [Maresca] really well but obviously the relationship I built with Pep when we were with each other.
“The amount of headaches and sweats he has provided to me over the last six or seven years to try to catch their level.
“He’s been an absolute inspiration, he’s left a mark on this league forever and he made all of us better.
Asked whether he had spoken to Guardiola since his side’s title triumph, Arteta said: “I have and I’m due to have an important one in the next few days and I’m looking forward to it.”
Ahead of the new season, Arteta admits he is excited at the prospect of creating further history for the north London club.
The Gunners have never achieved back-to-back Premier League titles – a feat achieved by only Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Guardiola.
But Arteta has shrugged off the notion of achieving personal accolades and claims that any targets for the season will be collective ones.
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“I’m very excited. We already have some dreams about the competition again with the Community Shield. It’s a new season, new expectations,” he added.
“We have the opportunity to do something we haven’t done before at this football club, to win it back to back and that is the ambition.
“It’s not personal, it’s the collective ambition that we have and the ambition of the club.
“It’s a beautiful challenge. When you know how to do it and to replicate it, the challenge will be different. The things we will face along the journey will be different.
“I feel very confident we are going to give ourselves a big chance to be there again.”
Could Arteta land one more blockbuster summer signing?
Despite having arguably the Premier League’s strongest squad, the Spaniard says the club will always look to strengthen where possible.
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Arsenal are on the lookout for a left-sided attacker following Leandro Trossard’s departure whilst Gabriel Martinelli’s future hangs in the balance.
Liverpool target Bradley Barcola is a name that Arsenal have been linked with and Arteta let nothing slip when quizzed on his transfer plans.
“When we show ambition at the club it has to come from the very top and I think the ownership has been very supportive with everything we are doing at the club,” he said.
“The motivation is always there to be better. If we can identify the talent to make us better then we have to do it but we have to focus on what we have in house to make sure they evolve, grow and be better.
“You can see how crazy and unpredictable the league is. It’s better not to talk too much, be prepared, be open and hopefully we can wrap up the transfer window in a really positive way.”
