"If you consider all parts of the equation, Zenit (St Petersburg), Arsenal, Arshavin, it was a good decision for everyone," Hiddink told Reuters in an interview at the national team's training camp at this Mediterranean resort.
"Zenit did a lot for Arshavin but he paid them back and at his age it was time to make a change. The move will bring great dividends to Arsenal and Arshavin as well as Russian football as a whole."
"We talked last week about Arshavin, what he's like as a player, as a person," the Dutchman said.
"Arsenal's playing style, a short-passing, fast game, will suit Arshavin."
"When I first met him almost two and a half years ago he, just like most other Russian players, was a very closed person, didn't talk much," the coach recalled.
"But no matter where I've worked, whether it's Russia, South Korea, Australia or Holland, I've always tried to challenge the players to do more and that was also the case with Arshavin.
"After a certain time he has come out of his shell, has established himself as one of the team leaders."
Hiddink made Arshavin his skipper in 2007 before stripping him of the captaincy later that year after he was sent off for kicking an opponent in Russia's final Euro 2008 qualifier in Andorra.
"He (Arshavin) is what you call a game breaker, he can decide the outcome of any match and he perfectly illustrated that in the game against Holland," Hiddink said.
"I would say those qualities of Arshavin, along with being a very smart and mentally tough player, have convinced Arsene Wenger to sign him."
