The likes of Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi had been sticking out like sore thumbs for Arsenal but it seems Arteta has been able to successfully stir them up.
For instance, Xhaka was on the verge of leaving Arsenal during the January transfer window as he was frozen out of the squad after his altercations with the fans.
But once the current manager took charge, he made it clear that Granit Xhaka was is an integral part of his plans at the club.
When asked if Granit Xhaka would leave during the January transfer window, Arteta had replied: “I hope not. He played at Bournemouth, he played really well, he was very committed, he played a really good game.
“After the game, he started to feel ill. He had a temperature and he wasn’t feeling good. The last two days he was in bed. That’s why he wasn’t selected [against Chelsea].”
And while Shkodran Mustafi has never been able to secure a place in the first XI at Arsenal but the centre-back has done his job with honesty whenever he’s been called upon by Mikel Arteta.
Shkodran Mustfi took was expected to leave the club last month but the untimely injury to Calum Chambers meant the defender will be at the club until the end of the season.
And according to former Gunner Ian Wright, the new manager has been able to turn around both these doubtful players during the past one and a half months.
Ian Wright said, as quoted: “He’s turned Xhaka right around. He’s got something out of Mustafi – Mustafi played well against Burnley the other day.
“Things are happening, but it’s going to take its time.”
While Xhaka has been able to resolve his issues with the fans and right now he is one of the first names on Arteta’s teamsheets. The same though cannot be said for Shkodran Mustafi since the defender has mostly been used as a stopgap whenever the likes of Luiz and Sokratis have been missing.
