"Basically, I spoke to Dave Jones over the phone. Dave Jones and Arsene Wenger had spoken over the phone and had come to the decision that I should be at Cardiff and I really wanted to come to Cardiff too," Gilbert told the press on Thursday.
"Dave Jones told me Cardiff was a great city and it was a great club to play at, with lots of things happening, so this is really the kind of club to be at.
"Arsene Wenger advised me to come here too. He said it was a good club to come to. He speaks to Dave Jones all the time and he advised me and said this was the best club to come to. He told me this is a very good club.
"I don't know any of the players here except for new goalkeeper Mark Howard because he used to play at Arsenal. He told me it was really nice, and for him to come to Cardiff from Arsenal and tell me that made it sound very promising for me."
Gilbert played against City in the 2 - 1 win for the Gunners at Highbury in the FA Cup last season.
"I'm here for the season to get some experience and the plan is that I then go back to Arsenal," said Gilbert.
"I know it's very competitive there, but I know I will go back a better player after being at Cardiff.
"I'm hoping I can help Cardiff get to the play-offs this season and then go back to Arsenal a better player because of my time here.
"Hopefully I'll be at Cardiff for the whole season and in that season we can get to the Premiership, yeah definitely what I want to do is help Cardiff get to the Premiership.
"I know the Championship is very competitive; most of the Championship clubs are from the Premiership, they're ex-Premiership clubs.
"But every season Cardiff is getting better and they can only progress and I hope that happens while I'm here. We're definite challengers."