Hector Bellerin explains what sets Mikel Arteta apart amid Arsene Wenger comparison

Hector Bellerin has been enthused by 's willingness to embrace youth like - but stresses that the boss is already forging his own path.

Arteta, 42, played alongside Bellerin during Wenger's legendary tenure at the Emirates and has managed to re-establish the Gunners as title contenders after succeeding as manager back in December 2019.

During his time at the helm, Arteta has continued to follow in Wenger's footsteps by giving youngsters a chance to impress; something that has stood out to Bellerin, who left the club back in the summer of 2022.

However, the right-back feels that Arteta is his own man and has already gone about leaving his own legacy at the club, even though any significant success will inevitably draw comparisons with Wenger.

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Speaking to , Bellerin said: “One of the things that I really like about Mikel is that he’s trying to write his own chapter, but always taking into account the history of the club.

“Arsenal has always been a club where young players wanted to go, because they knew they had a chance, and I think he's been able to follow that. He’s created that recipe in which you can tell that the team doesn't play the same football that Wenger played, but that essence is still there.

“When you describe Arsenal and Wenger, it wouldn't be that much different as a concept to how it is today. So many teams can completely change with different managers, but I think Mikel has adapted really well to the history of the club with his ways of working.”

He added: “It’s something that says a lot about him that he never wanted to erase the chapters that were already written, he just wanted to build up on them and I think that’s a very successful story.”

Arsenal haven't won the Premier League title in over 20 years and endured hard times in the aftermath of Wenger's premiership. Arteta has put the club back on the map both domestically and in Europe, though, by ending a multi-year absence from the .

The Premier League title has eluded him in successive years, though, due to the might of the all-conquering . But Bellerin is convinced that could follow and says he always knew Arteta would make Arsenal "successful" again.

“I never had a doubt that he was going to be able to create a successful Arsenal team. Obviously it's very different, it's very difficult for them to be able to compete with Man City in the last few years.”

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