When Mikel Arteta first arrived at Arsenal in 2019 it’s fair to say that he inherited a very disjointed squad from Unai Emery, who struggled to rebuild immediately after Arsene Wenger left.
Accepting his first role as a manager, Arteta was suddenly in charge of big names like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal – characters who weren’t always easy.
Of course, Alexis Sanchez had long left the club by that point, a player who Arteta enjoyed playing with at the Emirates Stadium.
Sanchez joined Manchester United in a remarkable swap deal that involved Henrikh Mkhitaryan heading to Arsenal.
And whilst Mkhitaryan had already gone out on loan to AS Roma by the time Arteta was appointed, the new Arsenal manager agreed to mutually terminate the Armenian’s contract a year later.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan will face Arsenal playing in an entirely new position for Inter Milan
After making 59 appearances for Arsenal, Mkhitaryan joined AS Roma after Arteta decided he was no longer needed in north London.
Now, four years later, Mkhitaryan will face Arsenal in an Inter Milan shirt in the Champions League, where he’s reinvented his career.
At Arsenal, the 35-year-old was an attacking midfielder, known for his goals and assists, often combining with Aubameyang.
However, in the twilight years of his career, Mkhitaryan is now dictating the tempo for Inter in the middle of midfield, playing in a much deeper role.
Mkhitaryan has already made 14 appearances for Inter this season, starting both of their wins in the Champions League.
And the former Arsenal man will be looking to prove a point against a manager who clearly decided he wouldn’t help improve the status quo in N5 at the time.
Mikel Arteta said he ‘always liked’ Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Interestingly Arteta did hint that Mkhitaryan might still have a future at Arsenal when speaking about his situation a few months before his release.
Arteta said he was always a fan of the Armenian when asked if he would consider keeping him at Arsenal.
He said: “It’s a possibility that we have and will consider. I always liked him, he is the kind of player who can fit in any team when he is at his best.
“He needs to do it consistently and here he had moments and that’s what we need to assess.
“Miki is doing really well in recent games. We know the player he’s been, we know his past, and we need to have all the information to make the right decision.”