Pep Guardiola has 'enormous influence' on me: Mikel Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted that Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has an 'enormous influence' on him in his coaching career as well as personal life.

"Well, he was an influence for me since I was 15 years old and we met at Barcelona, both as players. And in my coaching career and my personal life, he has an enormous influence," Arsenal's official website quoted Arteta as saying.

"If I have to talk about the person he is, his values, the way he has treated me and how he deals with the players and the staff around him, its phenomenal," he added.

Before making a move to Arsenal as their manager, Arteta was an assistant coach at Manchester City.

Arteta said he "learned so much" from Guardiola and his experience with the Spard was "incredible".

"As a coach, I have learned so much from him, we have spent some amazing moments together, some difficult ones as well, but the experience next to him has been incredible," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )