Arsene Wenger agrees with Kieran Gibbs that he is set to improve under Tony Pulis - because he have to.
The 27-year-old left-back completed his £7million move to West Brom during on the penultimate day of the transfer window.
He then admitted he was excited at the prospect of getting better as a defender under Pulis at the Hawthorns.
But Wenger, who will come up against his former player for the first time since his move, believes there is a specific reason why Gibbs is likely to progess.
“He will have more to defend maybe,” said the Arsenal boss. “They are a team who focus more on defending. We are a team that goes forward.
“He was a good forward it’s not his defence aspect [that is in question]. “He is an intelligent player who knows how to defend well.”
Gibbs will be among a minority if he does indeed flourish at the Hawthorns, with Wenger pointing out that few improve when they leave the Emirates.
“Once someone takes the decision to leave I wish them well and focus on my squad, but just look at the performances of the players who left us and then come back to me about it,” said Wenger.
"[Gibbs] was a regular player many times but he had some fitness worries so we didn’t offer him a new deal and that’s why he decided to go."
It was at the age of 18 that Gibbs broke into the Arsenal first team after coming through the ranks.
When Gael Clichy left for Manchester City in 2011, Wenger confirmed Gibbs would become the Gunners’ new first-choice left-back.
In total he went on to play for the Gunners 230 times in all competitions.
He has tumbled down the picking order, however. Last season he struggled for game time even before the arrival of Sead Kolasinac from Schalke on a free transfer.
With just 11 Premier League appearances under his belt Gibbs decided he was ready for a change.
Watford staked a strong claim for his services with Marco Silva a big fan. But Gibbs was adamant that Pulis would advance his bid to break back into the England picture. He went on to sign a four-year deal.
Wenger added: “Learning is a attitude in life. It doesn’t depend on your geographical state, but more of your attitude in your brain.
“Are you ready to question yourself to see if you can improve? Of course you can improve every day until the last day of your life.”
Gibbs has 10 England caps, having last called been into the Three Lions’ squad in 2013 by Roy Hodgson.
Wenger has also revealed he feels sympathy for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the former Arsenal midfielder struggles to find his feet at Liverpool.
Oxlade-Chamberlain moved from the Emirates to Anfield in a £40million deal during the final week of the transfer window but has been heavily criticised for his contribution to his new club.
Wenger said: “[I sympathise] with him, with everybody. But we are in a job where you have to accept you are judged on your performances. “The level of you performance is not definite, it’s not permanent. It is down to you to respond to that.”