Arsene Wenger has made his feelings clear on Mikel Arteta08:14, 20 May 2026Arsene Wenger's long-term backing for Mikel Arteta has been justified after Arsenal ended their wait for the Premier League title. Wenger, who was at the helm when the Gunners last lifted the trophy at the end of the 2003/04 Invincibles season, has long been known as a football visionary.‌And he saw Arteta as a potential Arsenal boss in 2018 when he brought the curtain down on his illustrious reign. The Spaniard, who played under Wenger for the Gunners, was in the early days of his coaching career as one of Pep Guardiola's right-hand men at Manchester City.‌Wenger had already seen enough, telling BeIN Sports he had "all the qualities" needed to be a successful Gunners boss. He said: "He was a leader, has good passion for the game, knows the club and knows what is important at the club.‌"Overall, he has the qualities but I don't want to influence that publicly. I believe it is important they make their choice in an objective way and after made that decision I will support him."FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageThe Gunners instead went for Unai Emery, who was sacked after 18 months in charge following a run of seven games without a win. It's fair to say Arteta inherited a mess when he was appointed in December 2019.‌READ MORE: Bukayo Saka and Arsenal team-mate poke fun at 'bottlers' tag with celebration videoREAD MORE: Ian Wright joins Arsenal fans at Emirates Stadium as thousands celebrate title winThe Gunners ended that pandemic-interrupted season a lowly eighth, sandwiched between Wolves and Sheffield United. Another eighth place followed during the behind-closed-doors campaign before a fifth spot. But the green roots of recovery had been spotted, and Arteta was given the chance to see his project bloom.In 2022, Wenger was asked whether Arteta had rekindled Arsenal's spirit. He said: "It looks like it, yes, I think so, yes. We still have some way to go because we were dominating in England for some time.‌"All the ingredients are there, the club has invested a lot of money for the first time since we have built the stadium."The team is stable now with their results, his leadership looks to be accepted by the players and there is a connection between him and the team. So overall, what you see from outside is positive."Article continues belowThose words proved spot on as, after three successive runner-up finishes, the Gunners are finally English football's top dogs again. Wenger has already congratulated Arsenal on their success with a classy message via the club's social media platforms.He said: "You did it. Champions go on, when others stop. This is your time. Now, go on and enjoy every moment."Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.