MIKEL ARTETA is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to win Arsenal their first league title since the Invincible year.
But one of his strict rules is costing players £1000s on match days – while at the same time creating a booming business for taxi drivers in North London.
Arteta has created a strict rule demanding players meet at the training ground before both home and away games.
The request is designed to foster the team spirit required to win the Premier League.
SunSport understands that Arteta is relentless in his attention to detail and believes that, to get across the line this season, every player must be in sync.
The Spaniard measures every detail, including taking account of body language and how players get along with their team-mates ahead of games.
Unlike other London clubs like Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Tottenham, where players are allowed to drive straight to the stadium two or three hours before matches, Arteta insists that every player must meet at their London Colney training ground, from where they are bussed the 24 miles to the stadium together.
This had led to most players choosing to book cab drivers for the entire day.
These drivers drop them off at the training ground, return to their homes to pick up their families and then stay behind to drop the players back home after the game.
When they travel for away games players are not allowed to be picked up by partners or family and are all bussed back to the training ground before being picked up by cabs from there back to their homes.
SunSport has been exclusively informed by one of the cab drivers that the daily rate for booking ranges between £700 and £1,000.
This fee covers half of a cab driver’s weekly target, leaving some drivers eager to be involved in matchday duties at Arsenal.
One told SunSport: “I mean for us it leaves us looking forward to every game and hope we get the call because that is essentially more than half what we have to get for the week and it’s quite relaxing.
“Also who doesn’t want to be involved in football these days even if you’re driving them around.”
With players spending in the region of £1000 per home match, it’s feasible an Arsenal star could spend in excess of £20,000 on the service over the course of the season.
In the past, Arteta has relaxed some of the rules, which led to former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turning up late for a North London derby.
However, Arteta is now determined to have everyone on board.
When contacted Arsenal confirmed that the players arrive at the Emirates together.
SunSport understands that struggling Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has adopted a similar rule to ensure that his heavily assembled squad spend more time together before and after games.
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