“He was a coach at 17 when I met him” – Pochettino says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta can become one of the ‘greatest’ managers ever

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has heaped praise on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta by stating that he can become one of the greatest managers in history.

Arteta takes his Gunners to Stamford Bridge tomorrow (October 21) looking to continue their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign. His men are second in the league, with six wins and two draws in eight games.

The Spanish coach has overseen an incredible reign at the Emirates thus far, propelling Arsenal back into title contenders. They finished second the previous season, missing out on the title to Manchester City by five points.

Pochettino foresaw Arteta's coaching potential when he met him at a young age (via football.london):

"Amazing memories, when you connect with a person like him, shared values. We arrived togther, we spend some time together in the hotel and then we lived very close. It has not surprised me, he was a coach at 17 when I met him."

The Chelsea boss continued by talking up Arteta's judgement and he feels he can become one of the best tacticians in history:

"He was really good with his judgement. Still really young, he can be one of the greatest managers in the world."

Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager in 2019 and has overseen 114 wins in 191 games in charge. He guided the Gunners to the FA Cup in the 2019-2020 campaign.

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Arsenal boss Arteta on whether Kai Havertz and Jorginho are looking forward to facing their former club Chelsea

Kai Havertz won the UEFA Champions League with the Blues in 2021.

Kai Havertz will face Chelsea for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge for Arsenal this past summer. The German attacker spent three years with the west Londoners, bagging 32 goals and 15 assists in 139 games across competitions.

Arteta touched on Havertz and Jorginho both coming up against their former club. He said (via the club's official website):

"Jorginho as well, I’m sure they will be. They were there and speak really highly about the club and everybody there, so it will be a special day for them."

Jorginho left Chelsea for the Emirates in January after spending five years with the Blues. The Italian midfielder managed 29 goals and eight assists in 213 games while at Stamford Bridge.