Mikel Arteta Praises Jorginho’s Readiness and Impact on Teammates

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lauded Jorginho for his consistent availability to play whenever required. The midfielder transferred to the Gunners from London rivals Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial fee of £12 million. At 32 years old, Jorginho has not been a consistent starter since his arrival but has proven to be a crucial asset to the squad, participating in 61 matches for Arsenal across all competitions. This season, he has appeared nine times, with three of his five Premier League outings occurring in the last four games. With a demanding December schedule approaching, he may see increased playing time. During his pre-match news conference, Arteta stated, “That is his quality. I always mention his biggest quality is his capacity to make others better. Last season was the same. At the start there was less games, we don’t play that many midweek matches and he had less minutes. But I told him to be ready because there is going to be a time, and it is not going to be in one week you have to play, you are going to play now or tomorrow. The way he prepares is top so when he needs to play he is ready.” The Italy international is also pursuing his coaching qualifications, and his manager has expressed support for his future success in that capacity. Arteta further commented, “When I first saw him at Napoli I knew there was a [future] coach here for sure. He has got that will. He has been doing badges now for some time with the other players and I’m sure he will prepare and he will be very good.”