Arsenal: David Moyes Reveals Feelings About Arteta Transfer

Online site GiveMeFootball is reporting that Everton boss David Moyes has told talkSPORT that he couldn't stand in the way of Mikel Arteta leaving Goodison Park this past summer when a £10 million offer surfaced from Arsenal.

Moyes said in his interview:

“Mikel had a chance to go the year before, but I made him stay because I thought last year we had our best chance of finishing right up there at the top of the Premier League. But it didn’t turn out that way.  So when we got an offer with a few hours to go [from Arsenal before the close of the transfer window], and he wanted to go, I thought it was only fair I gave him the opportunity to go.”

In a saga that apparently unfolded in similar fashion to Arsenal's own talismanic Spaniard, Arteta had nearly moved away from Everton in the 2010 transfer window before finally sealing his departure not more than a month ago.

In fact, there were reports, however true or not, that Wenger was in the market for Arteta in 2010.

After completing his own protracted move to Barcelona in August, Cesc Fabregas revealed that had Arsene Wenger not lowered the Arsenal board's asking price for him, he likely would have been unable to complete his move back to the club of his youth.

Whether or not the Frenchman was right in selling his former captain, it was clear that Fabregas was ready to move on.

Much like Arteta, Fabregas has thrived in his new environment, proving one of the best summer signings of any club. Fabregas already has four goals and four assists in five games with the Blaugrana this season, and notably won the Spanish Supercopa and UEFA Super Cup (both in August).

Arteta has bagged one goal for Arsenal this season, slotting in admirably at central midfield. His deeper-lying role has allowed young Welshman Aaron Ramsey to assume Fabregas's old role of roaming midfielder.