Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are preparing to face PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday (Getty)
Mikel Arteta believes Ronaldinho is the only player in history who has single-handedly transformed two clubs in Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldinho joined PSG from Brazilian side Gremio in 2001 and spent just two years in France before Barcelona beat Manchester United to his £21 million signature in the summer of 2003.
The Brazilian quickly established himself as one of the best attacking players in the world after moving to PSG and then went on to help Barcelona win two La Liga titles, as well as the Champions League in 2006.
Arteta played alongside Ronaldinho at PSG and the Arsenal manager feels his former teammate is the only player to have made such a significant impact at two elite teams.
‘He was a huge talent,’ said Arteta.
Mikel Arteta says Ronaldinho was a ‘huge talent’ (Corbis via Getty)
‘He’s the only player that I have seen in history that could transform, by himself, two clubs. He did it in Paris, he transformed them, he went to Barcelona in one of their worst moments and transformed them.
‘He had an aura, an energy, a smile on his face. It was impossible to be next to him and be in a bad mood.’
Arteta also insists he had no issue in sharing a room with Ronaldinho after he arrived from Brazil at the age of 20.
‘He was great,’ Arteta said.
‘Again, so much energy, so much fun, everything was good, never a problem. Great times.
‘With me, he was always perfect.’
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