Mikel Arteta says he is determined to keep building at Arsenal after last season’s Premier League triumph and wants the club to become “the best club in the world.” The manager made the comments at a Premier League launch event ahead of Arsenal’s season opener against Coventry.
Arsenal lifted the title for the first time in 22 years and have already strengthened this summer, bringing in signings such as Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes. Arteta says the club will continue to target elite players to push them to the top of the game.
‘It’s certainly the ambition of the club and the owners to be the best club in the world,’ he said. ‘In order to do that, you need the best facilities, the best stadium, the best supporters, and you need the best squad and the best players in the world.’ He added that having top players is what wins matches and makes the difference when it matters, and that Arsenal are trying to build that with the players they have and those they hope to sign.
Arsenal enter the new season as favourites to retain the title, a status reinforced by a comfortable 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City. Arteta said he is happy with that tag, focusing instead on the attitude within his squad: ‘For me, it’s when I look into the eyes of my players and I see that fire, that desire and the will to be better every single day. That’s the only thing that I care about.’
Defending a top-flight title is still a rare achievement for Arsenal, who have not retained the crown since the 1990s. Arteta said the club are fully aware of the challenge but believe they have the ambition, desire and conviction to do it.
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick echoed the drive for improvement, saying the club want signings that will ‘change the dial.’ Garlick confirmed Arsenal are searching for players who can take the team forward now they are competing at the very highest level. He said this could include young talents given time to develop, combined with established world-class players.
The champions have spent around £143.5m on four summer signings so far, including the permanent signing of defender Piero Hincapie. Garlick stressed the club will not stand still after winning the title: if the right opportunities arise within the transfer window they will be explored, although the higher standard they have set makes the market more competitive and narrows the pool of available top-quality players.
Transfer picture and targets
Arsenal had been linked with several high-profile forwards. They missed out on Vinicius Junior after the Real Madrid forward signed a new contract, and have been reported to be interested in Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez. Victor Osimhen has also been mentioned in media speculation. Garlick described recent links to elite names as signs the club are hunting players who can materially improve the squad.
On the defensive front, Arsenal want reinforcements to cover an extended absence for William Saliba. The club have held talks over England internationals Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah. Both can play centrally and at right-back, but deals look challenging: Aston Villa are understood to value Konsa near £60m, and Bayer Leverkusen have so far been reluctant to sell Quansah.
Tzolis’ promising pre-season performances have eased some pressure on the left-wing position, which was a stated early-window target. Still, the club remain alert to late opportunities to strengthen the attack.
Sales, squad balance and finances
Arsenal are also trying to generate more from sales this summer to improve financial sustainability. The club are reportedly open to offers for Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus, while the future of Myles Lewis-Skelly remains uncertain. The arrival of Bruno Guimaraes has increased speculation that either Lewis-Skelly or Martin Zubimendi could move on; any sale of Zubimendi would likely need to recoup a significant portion of the roughly £51m paid last summer, whereas Lewis-Skelly’s potential sale would represent pure profit.
Looking ahead, Garlick reiterated that Arsenal want to keep progressing: ‘We said at the start of this season we’re not going to stand still and pat ourselves on the back… The best clubs are always moving forward.’ With the transfer window still open, the club will assess offers and opportunities that genuinely move Arsenal forward while balancing squad needs, valuations and the tight market for elite players.
Arteta’s message is simple: the club have set high standards on and off the pitch and will keep investing in players and infrastructure to match those ambitions as they aim to defend the title and push for even greater success.