Martin Keown explains concerns about Mikel Arteta’s language skills at Arsenal

Gunners legend Martin Keown has revealed a surprising why he is concerned about Mikel Arteta’s language skills in the Arsenal dressing room.

Spaniard Arteta is thought to speak a number of languages, which could be seen as a positive as he can make his instructions clear to all his players.

However, Keown is of the belief that a much more simple approach is the way to go – citing Arsene Wenger’s decision to only speak English in the dressing room, despite also knowing various languages.

“Arteta talks in four or five different languages,” he told BT Sport after Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Fulham on Saturday.

“That would worry me because I’d like to hear some of it in English if I was an English player.

“Wenger said ‘one language, a common language’. Nonetheless, he’s a fantastic communicator and he’s getting that message across. And when you do talk a lot, as I am now, you gotta get results because people stop listening.”

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand admitted that for the first time in an extremely long time, Arsenal were finally looking like an organised side thanks to Arteta.

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New signings Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes hit the ground running against Fulham but Mikel Arteta is still on the lookout for new signings.

Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar and Brentford keeper Emiliano Martinez are two of the names on their radar.

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The Manchester United centre-back stated his belief that they were much more comfortable at the back thanks to how they have been coached.

Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “They’re a well-drilled team and I think this season it’s going to be a common denominator about what you say all the time about this Arsenal team – they’re well-coached. That’s how they look.”

And when asked by presenter Jake Humphrey how many times he’s said that as a pundit, Ferdinand replied: “I’d say almost never. I think in the last seven or eight, 10 years this team aren’t happy in these positions.

“They’re happy to be here, they’re happy defending and they look comfortable more importantly.

“They enjoy it, they enjoy being in defensive areas to get their friends out of trouble.”