Nacho Monreal recalled a single dinner with Mikel Arteta that was enough to persuade him his Arsenal colleague would excel in management.

Monreal arrived in the Premier League during the later stages of his fellow Spaniard's playing days, recognising significant coaching ability in Arteta from the outset.

Speaking to Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladisfaction, Monreal remembered witnessing firsthand his team-mate's dedication to understanding every aspect of football, even during his downtime.

Monreal said: "It's no surprise to me that Mikel Arteta has gone into management... I joined Arsenal in 2013, and Mikel was already at the club.

"He was not the captain, but he was one of the senior players in the dressing room, and from the very first minute, you would always see him talking about football. You just knew he was going to be a manager.

"Of course, you never know how good someone is going to be in the job, and for me, right now, he's one of the best three coaches in the world......