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Mikel Arteta has revealed his philosophy for success at Arsenal and hinted that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did not fit into the model.

Arteta, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Saturday, has been in charge of the Gunners since December 2021. It has not always been a smooth ride for the Spaniard, with calls for him to be axed during a poor run of results last season. That ended in an eighth-place finish and no European football at the Emirates.

However, the north Londoners are in line for a return to the Champions League after a superb run of form. They have won 10 of their last 13 top-flight matches to sit fourth in the Premier League table.

And, with a three-point advantage and game in hand over fifth-placed Tottenham, they hold all the aces to finish in the top four. Arsenal are now mixing it with the big boys once again and Arteta confessed that it has not happened by accident.

“Well when I went into management I had a clear vision of what I wanted to accomplish with Arsenal,” he told the club’s official website.

“I wanted to build a winning team that was also financially sustainable and that could transmit the values, the identity and the passion that the club has had over the years.

“To do that we had to make some important decisions and get the club moving in the right direction, so that we could also achieve that in the long-term.”

Arteta takes thinly-veiled dig at Aubameyang

Aubameyang blotted his copybook on more than one occasion during his stint at Arsenal. The Gabon international did score 92 goals from 163 appearances in all competitions.

But he was left out of the side for disciplinary reasons in March last year. Arteta took a similar stance in December before stripping the African of the captaincy.

He did not return to the side and left for Barcelona during the winter window. And Arteta, while revealing what he feels has improved at the club, suggested Arsenal is now a happier place.

“There have been some very difficult decisions to make. First of all you need to come up with a plan,” he added. “You have to have a lot of support from within the club to do it, and then the decisions need to be right.

“Until now I think one of the biggest successes has been to create – as a club – a culture and an atmosphere where our players, staff and everyone can feel that this is a place where they can fulfil their potential.”

And the former Everton midfielder believes having experienced players in the side is crucial for sustained success.

“I think you need some senior players around you to set the standards and a good example,” he continued. “They can guide you, protect you, encourage you and to turn the fears that you can have at that age into confidence. Then it’s up to you to have the personality, the hunger and the passion to retain that level.”

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