Mikel Arteta decided it was time to part ways with one Arsenal coach last summer after the pair clashed over a recruitment decision.
Mikel Arteta has a tight-knit coaching team around him at Arsenal.
Nicolas Jover has caught the eye this season with his work on Arsenal’s set-pieces. Meanwhile, Carlos Cuesta has impressed to the extent that he has been linked with managerial vacancies in the Championship.
However, in July 2023, Steve Round was cut from the first-team coaching setup, as reported by The Athletic.
His departure, having been with the North London club since Arteta himself took the helm in December 2019, allowed Cuesta to step up and take on more responsibility.
Why Mikel Arteta dispensed with Steve Round at Arsenal
At the time of his exit, Round had two years remaining on his Arsenal contract, before it was terminated early by mutual consent.
Journalist James McNicholas, reporting for The Athletic, has now revealed the cause behind the split between Arteta and Round. He has stated that Round “argued” against the signing of David Raya in the recent summer transfer window, for fear that his arrival and displacement of Aaron Ramsdale would undermine the harmony in the dressing room.
Round’s stance on this matter apparently “played a part” in Arteta’s decision to let him go and invest more faith in Cuesta. This move also showed that there is “a pathway” for promising young coaches to climb the ladder at Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta vindicated in Carlos Cuesta and David Raya stance
All in all, Arteta has been proven right in his belief in Raya, who won the Premier League Golden Glove this season for keeping the most clean sheets in the top flight of English football. Arsenal are now set to shell out £27 million to sign Raya on a permanent basis.
The Spanish shot-stopper has had some difficult moments this season. He made a few errors, and came under fire from supporters at times. However, Arsenal fans were impressed by how Raya responded to a mistake he made against Tottenham Hotspur in the most recent North London derby.
The 28-year-old brings calm to the team, and is reliably on hand to bail out his defence when balls are played in behind them due to his aggressive positioning. He also excels when it comes to claiming crosses that are delivered into his penalty area, and is comfortable with the ball at his feet.
There is no reason to believe that Arteta has made any kind of misstep when it comes to putting more trust in Cuesta either.