Arsenal sporting director and former midfielder Edu has been blown away by one thing he’s seen from Mikel Arteta’s squad this season.
Arsenal have a chance of being crowned Premier League champions today.
The Gunners will welcome Everton to the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, knowing that if they can overcome the Toffees, and Manchester City drop points against West Ham United, then the title will be awarded to the North London club.
Mikel Arteta, along with Edu, has built a young, hungry squad, who are clearly capable of competing for the biggest prizes in the game.
This group of players could be on the cusp of bringing a golden era of success to the club, as key figures such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and William Saliba, amongst others, are tied down to long-term contracts and approaching their peak years.
Arteta has revolutionised Arsenal, and has built a squad in his own image.
Edu identifies one unique quality in Arsenal squad
Edu has now given his verdict on the current squad, and what makes them so special.
As quoted by The Athletic, the Brazilian said: “One of the things that has impressed me most about this group is the friendship.
“What we have is people taking care of each other. They really care about everything — not only on the pitch. I have had some private conversations with players when they are not talking about themselves, but about how others are doing, and I love it.
“When I was a player I participated in four squads — Corinthians, Arsenal, Valencia and Brazil — which were not necessarily the best friends but we were the best characters.”
Mikel Arteta must replicate trophy success of Edu era at Arsenal
As a player, Edu spent four and a half seasons on the books at Arsenal between 2001 and 2005. In that time, the midfielder won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups, as he made 127 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions.
He was a key figure in the Gunners’ Invincibles squad who went through the 2003/04 Premier League season without losing a single match. Then-manager Arsene Wenger has recently explained why he ever believed his Arsenal side to be capable of such a feat.
The 45-year-old also won silverware with Corinthians and Valencia.
Edu knows what it takes to win, and obviously recognises those qualities within the current Arsenal first-team group. Arteta’s task is now to get his side over the line. Even if a title success doesn’t come today, the Gunners are on the right track and need to convert their potential into trophies in the near future.