Hleb reveals Wenger's talks made him feel like he had 'grown wings on my back'

Alexander Hleb has revealed how talks with Arsene Wenger left him feeling 'like I'd grown wings on my back' as the former Arsenal midfielder sung the praises of his former boss.

Hleb spent three years at Arsenal and dazzled with his creativity and infuriated fans with his composure in front of goal in equal measure, scoring just 11 goals in 131 appearances.

The former Belarus international eventually left for Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in 2008, a decision he later said that he regretted.

But speaking in a documentary on his own career, Hleb revealed that it was Wenger who ensured he put early doubts about his Arsenal career behind him.

'It's hard for me to imagine Arsenal without Wenger because to me Wenger is Arsenal and Arsenal is Wenger,' Hleb said.

'When Wenger was signing me he just wanted me to adapt as quickly as possible and to have fun with the game, to do whatever it takes for the team, for results. I felt his support.

'Once I got injured, spent two months off the field, and it was hard to regain the flow, so I started having doubts about possibly returning to Germany.

'He just told me a couple of words which ended up having such a strong impact on me, I felt like I'd grown wings on my back. I was overwhelmed with emotions, eagerness, desire to live up to expectations.'

Reflecting on his time at Arsenal between 2005 and 2008, Hleb added: 'We played beautifully. It's a shame we didn't take a single title, but the enjoyment we had was unparalleled.

'Relationships within the team were great. I woke up every morning and felt awesome because I was doing my thing.

'I loved every aspect - seeing the faces of my partners, my friends during training sessions. It was unforgettable.'