Arteta spent nearly four years working with De Bruyne while serving as an assistant coach under Pep Guardiola at Man City.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has sung the praises of Napoli midfielder Kevin De Bruyne after his team narrowly defeated the Serie A side in their UEFA Champions League fixture on Wednesday night.
He praised the Belgium international while addressing the press at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona following the Gunners’ 1-0 win over the Italian hosts.
Arsenal, despite being the dominant side, were guilty of wasteful finishing and were heading for a frustrating draw in their first UCL match since losing last season’s final in agonising fashion.
However, Martin Ødegaard had the North London club’s 1,500 travelling fans celebrating after a fine finish from outside the box—the captain’s fourth goal in five games, including the Community Shield.
ALSO READ: Mbappe chooses UCL trophy over Ballon d’Or
Speaking after the encounter, Arteta identified Napoli star De Bruyne as one of his all-time favourite players, reflecting on their time together at Manchester City.
“If there is a player in Napoli that is one of my favourite ever players, that is Kevin De Bruyne… I had the luxury to train him and to be with him for almost four years.
“He’s one of the best midfielders EVER, and it’s still a joy to watch Kevin play,” Arteta said.
The Spanish tactician spent nearly four years working with De Bruyne while serving as an assistant coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The duo famously had a brief on-pitch clash during a 2023 Premier League match when the Belgian midfielder lightly shoved Arteta after the manager tried to shield a ball going out of play, though the pair embraced after the final whistle.
