Arsene Wenger has claimed that Mikel Arteta is the first Arsenal manager to receive serious financial backing since the Gunners moved into the Emirates Stadium 16 years ago.
Wenger was midway through his legendary reign in 2006 when Arsenal entered their £390million new home, the cost of which prevented the club from investing heavily in transfers for the years that followed.
But after a £150million spending spree last summer, the Frenchman reckons Arteta - who he has praised for guiding the Gunners back to Champions League contention - has been given an advantage afforded to neither him or successor Unai Emery.
"It looks like yes, I think so, yes. We still have some way to go because we were dominating in England for some time," Wenger said on beIN Sport ahead of their Premier League clash with Leicester City on Sunday.
"All the ingredients are there. The club has invested a lot of money for the first time since we have been at the stadium.
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"The team is stable now in the results, his leadership looks to be accepted by the players and there is a connection between him and the team. So, all of what you see from outside is positive."
Arteta spent five years playing under Wenger for Arsenal - two of which were as captain - but is now in the Emirates dugout and, at the tender age of 39, has slowly progressed the Gunners back into a more familiar territory.
Favourites to finish fourth and secure a spot in next season's Champions League, Arsenal's £150m looks well spent, thanks to almost every one of their six signings emerging as first-team regulars.
And that investment comes down from Arteta's good relationship with the Gunners hierarchy, with director Josh Kroenke trusting in the Spaniard to bring the good times back to north London.
Back in November, Kroenke lifted the lid on their recruitment strategy which centred around buying players they could develop, as opposed to being ready-made stars.
"I wouldn't say [I feel] vindicated [by the approach]," the American told Sky Sports in a wide-ranging interview after the new arrivals made a promising start to the season.
"I'd say I'm more driven to keep pushing forward. Whenever you start to taste a little bit of progress or success - even though I don't think we've had any success yet, but we are starting to feel a little bit of the progress that has been made behind the scenes - that only drives you even harder.
"I feel that from Mikel around the training ground, I feel that around the first-team squad and I also feel it throughout the rest of the club."
