Soccer
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal squad ‘better equipped’ than last season
Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are stronger than last season, despite their inability to recruit a world-class forward during the transfer window.
The Gunners signed Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge but failed to land one of their main targets of the summer after chasing Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez without success.
The arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes, Piero Hincapie and Ezri Konsa have added to the squad, but with Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli leaving, they have fewer options in attack.
Arteta, however, prefers the playing resources at his disposal now compared to his Premier League-winning campaign.
“This is what I feel – now we have to prove it,” Arteta said. “I think we are better equipped. I think we have more players available than we had at the start of last season.
“It’s human nature. When you ask people, ‘Ok, what’s on your bucket list?’, people write a lot about the bucket list.
“And sometimes we forget the reverse bucket list, which is the things that you already have in your life that are incredible.
“It’s not only in football, it happens in life, and I think it’s very important to value what we have. I love our players and I really value what we have, what we have created together.
“The ambition is great and our ambition is always to be better, especially to evolve the things we already have within the club that for sure have to be there.
“But we can’t lose perspective to what we already have which is amazing and we are very lucky to have.”
Addressing the forward situation specifically, he continued: “We have to prove in that particular position whether we are better or not. Let’s see.
“We need to play. I don’t like to make assumptions before. I think it’s not just the responsibility of those players, it’s the responsibility of the team and the dynamic of the team. And we have multiple options to play there, and with different profiles as well.”
Martinelli’s departure for Al-Hilal in a £60million deal that was confirmed on Thursday ended the Brazilian’s six-year spell at the Emirates Stadium that saw him make 191 Premier League appearances.
Arteta said: “He goes with our gratitude. It’s been a pleasure to work with him, to be part of this journey with him.
“The guy that I met and the guy that just left, it’s a huge transformation both in the personal side and the professional side.
“The impact he had for the club, his ambition, his love for the game and the way he has helped us to grow and achieve our goals – he has been a critical player.
“The story ends and we wish him all the very best in a different story. This is a part of football.”
