Former Arsenal midfielder makes Mikel Arteta claim and slams his own retirement rumours

Former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey revealed he was always confident that Mikel Arteta would one day become a manager.

The pair played together at the Emirates until 2016 when the Spaniard retired and pursued a career in management.

Since taking over at Arsenal, Arteta has endured a rollercoaster ride, though he is currently enjoy the fruits of his labour. The Gunners are top of the Premier League table and top of their Europa League group.

Arteta’s men were held on Sunday by Southampton following a 1-1 draw at St. Mary’s. The club have six games remaining before the World Cup break in November.

Speaking with the Daily Mirror, Ramsey said: “I know Mikel from playing with him in my time at Arsenal. You could always tell that he was going to become a manager one day.

“I got asked about this just as he moved to Arsenal, but I always knew that it would be a great decision for them. Now you’re seeing him thrive, really, and Arsenal have produced some really good performance this season already.”

The Welshman added: “They’re top of the league, they’ve qualified for Europe [the knockout stages] and things are looking really good for them at the moment.

“Obviously there’s still a long way to go, but right now – at this moment – I’m really happy as an ex-Arsenal player and a fan still. For the fans, as well, it must be a really exciting time.”

Ramsey not even thinking about retirement

Ramsey is currently playing for Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice alongside Ross Barkley, Kasper Schmeichel and Morgan Schneiderlin.

Despite making a lot of noise in the transfer window, the club are meandering towards the lower end of the table.

Ramsey himself has made eight league appearances this season and has scored one goal. The player was recently out with injuries, but he is still confident in his own abilities.

He said: “I feel good when I’m playing. I feel I can still affect games, my stats suggest I still have one of the top physical outputs in the games. So all these things haven’t taken a hit or anything.

“It’s just about staying fit, and getting consistency – and I feel like I can still perform at the top level and compete.

“So I’ve no consideration, thinking about the day that I’m going to retire or anything like that yet. I still think there are many more years left for me and I can keep performing and playing at the top level.”

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