Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal summer wishlist and sends transfer warning to rival clubs
Mikel Arteta faces a pivotal summer window with Arsenal (Picture: Getty) Mikel Arteta is confident Arsenal can attract any player they want to the Emirates as he opened up on the club’s transfer plans ahead of the summer window. While Arsenal marched through to the Champions League semi-finals in midweek, it has been a mixed season for the Gunners across all fronts. With Manchester City falling off the pace, this season was seen as the perfect year for Arsenal to emerge from their shadows and win the Premier League. But several runs of patchy form appear to have handed Liverpool the title on a silver platter, with Arne Slot’s side 13 points ahead with just six games remaining. The Gunners have not been helped by injuries this season, with several key players such as Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka missing key stretches of the season. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Even now, Jakub Kiwior has been thrust into the heart of defence alongside William Saliba to replace Gabriel Magalhaes, who is out for the rest of the season. With that in mind, Arteta is clear that he wants the club, and new sporting director Andrea Berta, to bring in more quality squad depth if they are serious about competing on multiple fronts next season. Arteta has made his transfer desires clear (Picture: Getty) ‘Squad quality and availability,’ replied Arteta when asked what his team have been missing this season. ‘Without those two, we cannot compete in four competitions. At this level, especially in this country, it’s impossible. ‘The higher the quality, the higher the availability, the more chances, probability you have. After you have to do it. But the probability goes high.’ ‘We can attract any player’ Andrea Berta faces a crucial first summer as Arsenal’s new sporting director (Picture: Getty) Arsenal have made no bones about their desire to sign a new striker in the summer, with several injuries leaving them no choice but to deploy Mikel Merino as a makeshift No.9 down the home stretch of the season. The north London club have been constantly linked with a move for Alexander Isak, although questions remain as to whether the Gunners can put up the record-breaking fee likely required to coax the Swede away from Newcastle. Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike have also been linked with a move to the Emirates, while the club are also reportedly keen to sign a winger as well as a central midfielder ahead of Jorginho’s likely departure. Arsenal may have to battle several other top clubs to secure their number-one targets in the summer, but Arteta believes that the club should be confident of convincing any player to join in the summer. ‘I think we are very lucky because we are a football club that every time we have spoken to players, they want to be part of it,’ he added. ‘That is probably something that can generate more enthusiasm or belief, and the fact that I want to be part of these nights now because the club is in a good place. ‘Overall, we are ready, we are strong and we can attract any player.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mikel Arteta is confident Arsenal can attract any player they want to the Emirates as he opened up on the club’s transfer plans ahead of the summer window.
While Arsenal marched through to the Champions League semi-finals in midweek, it has been a mixed season for the Gunners across all fronts.
With Manchester City falling off the pace, this season was seen as the perfect year for Arsenal to emerge from their shadows and win the Premier League.
But several runs of patchy form appear to have handed Liverpool the title on a silver platter, with Arne Slot’s side 13 points ahead with just six games remaining.
The Gunners have not been helped by injuries this season, with several key players such as Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka missing key stretches of the season.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
Even now, Jakub Kiwior has been thrust into the heart of defence alongside William Saliba to replace Gabriel Magalhaes, who is out for the rest of the season.
With that in mind, Arteta is clear that he wants the club, and new sporting director Andrea Berta, to bring in more quality squad depth if they are serious about competing on multiple fronts next season.
‘Squad quality and availability,’ replied Arteta when asked what his team have been missing this season.
‘Without those two, we cannot compete in four competitions. At this level, especially in this country, it’s impossible.
‘The higher the quality, the higher the availability, the more chances, probability you have. After you have to do it. But the probability goes high.’
‘We can attract any player’
Arsenal have made no bones about their desire to sign a new striker in the summer, with several injuries leaving them no choice but to deploy Mikel Merino as a makeshift No.9 down the home stretch of the season.
The north London club have been constantly linked with a move for Alexander Isak, although questions remain as to whether the Gunners can put up the record-breaking fee likely required to coax the Swede away from Newcastle.
Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike have also been linked with a move to the Emirates, while the club are also reportedly keen to sign a winger as well as a central midfielder ahead of Jorginho’s likely departure.
Arsenal may have to battle several other top clubs to secure their number-one targets in the summer, but Arteta believes that the club should be confident of convincing any player to join in the summer.
‘I think we are very lucky because we are a football club that every time we have spoken to players, they want to be part of it,’ he added.
‘That is probably something that can generate more enthusiasm or belief, and the fact that I want to be part of these nights now because the club is in a good place.
‘Overall, we are ready, we are strong and we can attract any player.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
