Raul Sanllehi has spoken of why Mikel Arteta stood out to the Arsenal board as the perfect candidate to lead the Gunners.
The former Gunners captain has returned to the club to become the new head coach, becoming the permanent successor to Unai Emery, who was sacked by Arsenal last month after a poor run of form.
His appointment comes several weeks after the decision was made to part company with Emery, with Freddie Ljungberg taking charge of five games in all competitions as interim head coach in the meantime.
But Arsenal's head of football Sanllehi has moved to explain the decision-making process, and why he stood out amid an extensive search as the right man for the job.
In a statement confirming Arteta's appointment on Arsenal's club website, Sanllehi said: “We met several top-class candidates and Mikel stood out to every single one of us as the perfect person for us.
"Mikel understands Arsenal Football Club and what it means to our fans around the world. We look forward to him getting down to work and bringing the best out of our squad as we work to get our season back on track.
“I must also pay tribute to Freddie Ljungberg for his hard work and leadership. Together with Per Mertesacker, he has done a vital job for us in difficult circumstances. Freddie and Per are important parts of the Arsenal family and care deeply for this club.”
