Former Arsenal captain explains why Xabi Alonso is a better coach than Mikel Arteta | OneFootball

Childhood friends set to face off next season in the Premier League after Chelsea job confirmed

Chelsea have been told where Xabi Alonso betters Mikel Arteta as a manager, from a midfielder who played for both managers.

The former midfielder earned his spurs at Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the club to the Bundesliga title while going unbeaten.

A key part of his title-winning team was Granit Xhaka, who left Arsenal for Germany in a deal worth around £21million.

Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta

London Standard

Less than three years on from Xhaka's exit, Arteta is closing in on the Premier League title with Arsenal, and could add the Champions League crown, while Alonso prepares to return to the English top flight.

Xhaka was asked by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) in 2024 to explain the difference between Alonso and Arteta, who have been friends since childhood.

"Mikel has his philosophy and that’s it," Xhaka said. "You know this always change the sides, the free man, let him jump for example.

"Even to play always with a back four and never change to a back five for example, or never change like a 4-4-2 with two proper strikers. So you had this 4-3-3, with one six and two eights.

"Xabi is a little bit different. I think that Xabi can play a back four, but he can play as well a back five, you know? What he wants is always two No6s, not running everywhere or more of the time be in the position.

"But I think that if you are a coach you need your own philosophy, your own tactical, your own ideas. Of course, you can always change one or two, but you can’t change so many things about it, you know?"