Clichy: Campbell making huge impact at Arsenal

Gael Clichy says January signing Sol Campbell is already having a huge impact at Arsenal.

Campbell has signed to the end of the season and already is impressing at home and in Europe.

"If I’m honest he’s been training with us for three months and I told him before he signed that I honestly believed it was the first time I’ve seen him that fit in training. He was really going for it," said Clichy, speaking at Arsenal in the Community's 25th birthday celebrations last Thursday.

"Sol is not the kind of guy who is going to run for 90 minutes like a left-back or a midfielder but he was really focused and professional. The way he played against Porto and the way he came in against Aston Villa showed that the guy is a great leader. We surely missed people like that and it’s great to have him back."

Campbell has already made five appearances since his return and rolled back the years with a vital away goal at Porto in the Champions League last month. Clichy says that the veteran defender is having a major impact off the pitch as well as on it.

"He is a big influence in the dressing room," said the Frenchman to arsenal.com. "That’s what people say about experienced players and I think we have the best one.

"With Sol, he’s funny, he likes to make jokes, he doesn’t think too much of himself and on the pitch he is doing a great job. So that’s what you want from a player like him and I’m sure for the rest of the season he will play a big part."