Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta: “It’s a moment to improve quality”

Trainer turns “Gunners” inside out

Mikel Arteta has been transforming Arsenal since taking office at the end of 2019. This season he was provided with 167.4 million euros for newcomers – no club in the world invested more. For the Spaniard, however, the upcoming summer transfer window will be “even more important. I think now is the moment to go to another level,” he said in “Sky Sports“-Interview.

Arteta’s work is beginning to bear fruit. After their first full 2020/21 season, which the “Gunners” ended outside of the European Cup places, they are back on course for the Champions League (to the Premier League table) after five years of abstinence. Ten players were given away for free under Arteta, including Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Roma), Mesut Özil (Fenerbahce), Calum Chambers (Aston Villa), Sead Kolasinac (Marseille) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (FC Barcelona). 20 players were loaned out and only Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa) and Joe Willock (Newcastle) received high fees.

All Arsenal transfers
With redemption & rental feesTo overview
“We managed to improve the balance in the squad a lot. Financially we’re in a much more stable position and the players we’ve invested in are playing. The balance is better spread across the team,” Arteta summed up. While he was able to change his team according to his ideas for around 260 million euros, many gunners who were brought in before his time are currently active on loan in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. Arsenal’s ten players on loan have a combined market value of €130m.

Some of these players will also be raking in millions in the summer. For example, Mattéo Guendouzi, who will join Olympique Marseille on a permanent basis for €11m, Fiorentina has a €15m purchase option for Lucas Torreira and if VfB Stuttgart stays in the league, Konstantinos Mavropanos will join for €3m firmly committed. For Arteta, with a view to the coming summer, “the moment has come to increase the quality”.

Arteta seeks striker – Aubameyang gone, Lacazette and Nketiah contracts end

The former Arsenal professional wants to achieve this with a new signing in the center of the attack, because that is where the Londoners need to take action. After disputes with Arteta, Aubameyang recently moved to Barcelona on Deadline Day and the contracts of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are expiring – the signs are goodbye. As of today, Arsenal don’t have a centre-forward in their 2022/23 squad.

When asked what his new striker needs to bring, Arteta replied: “Goal threat. Every successful team needs enough goal threat in the roster – without that you have nothing. (…) He also has to fit in with our other players, both personally and on the pitch, and he has to have the right profile for that. A certain age, a certain level of experience and he has to be able to come here and play under the pressure that you have at Arsenal.” , João Félix (Atlético Madrid) and Armando Broja (Southampton).

“I think we can be more flexible with our signings because we currently have the youngest squad in the league,” said Arteta, who has made his mark on Arsenal in his 27-month tenure. The contract of Pep Guardiola’s former assistant coach runs until June 30, 2023.

To home page