Mikel Arteta Has Built His Perfect Squad, but Arsenal May Still Add More Players Before the Transfer Deadline
MIKEL ARTETA has envisioned an Arsenal squad with two elite players in every position for as long as he can remember.
After almost six years of leadership, he has finally brought this vision to life — a brilliant achievement following three consecutive seasons as the Premier League’s steady second-place contender.
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Now, the pivotal question arises: will he finally claim the first Premier League title since 2004 with NO excuses?
The impending £68million acquisition of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace will drive the Gunners’ summer spending beyond £250million.
Arsenal has welcomed seven new players, resulting in Arteta’s total spending exceeding £1BILLION since his appointment in December 2019.
The squad meticulously assembled by the Spaniard, after years of trophy near misses, is finally complete following weeks of impressive and strategic recruitment.
He has secured a dependable backup goalkeeper in Kepa Arrizabalaga, a versatile young defender in Cristhian Mosquera, experienced midfielders Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi, a Premier League-caliber winger in Noni Madueke, and that coveted No 9 in Viktor Gyokeres.
With Eze — a game-changer who excels both wide and centrally — Arteta now has an array of options for the demanding season across four competitions they aim to dominate.
Even with the unfortunate injury to Kai Havertz, the squad’s depth now meets the requirements to compete with title challengers Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
Concerns about injuries to key players will be less of an issue in a squad currently comprising 29 members.
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Arsenal’s transfer dealings
IN
- Viktor Gyökeres – from Sporting Lisbon – £64m
- Noni Madueke – from Chelsea – £52m
- Martin Zubimendi – from Real Sociedad – £51m
- Christian Norgaard – from Brentford – £15m
- Cristhian Mosquera – from Valencia – £13m
- Kepa Arrizabalaga – from Chelsea – £5m
TOTAL – £200m
OUT
- Nuno Taveres – to Lazio – £4.4m
- Marquinhos – to Cruzeiro – £2.6m
- Jorginho – to Flamengo – free
- Kieran Tierney – to Celtic – free
- Takehiro Tomiyasu – released
- Thomas Partey – released
TOTAL – £7m
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Several players may still depart as the squad refines itself — midfielders Fabio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, along with winger Reiss Nelson could leave before the transfer window closes on September 1.
Nonetheless, Arteta — alongside new sporting director Andrea Berta, managing director Richard Garlick, and co-owner Josh Kroenke — has made substantial strides off the pitch.
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Now it’s about delivering results on the pitch as they go up against newly promoted Leeds at the Emirates on Saturday.
A strong signal needs to be sent. Arteta has previously expressed regrets about missed opportunities in transfer windows. Not this time around.
His dream to have options similar to those of his former mentor Pep Guardiola at City has not only been realized but exceeded.
When questioned about the potential excess size of the squad given the influx of new players, Arteta, 43, laughed and replied: “Too big? If we are too big, then I don’t know how many the rest have.
“We maintain an excellent player balance, versatility, role understanding, a blend of experience and youth, and ambition.
“The players we’ve brought in are exceptional.
“This showcases the club’s ambition, the ownership’s commitment, the board’s aspirations, the players’ dedication, and the manager’s goals, all striving for more.
“We’re here to win significant trophies and continue evolving.
“It’s about evaluating how we stack up against our rivals, the measures we’re taking, and the direction of the league.
“We aim to lead, not merely follow or lag behind.
“We desired a strong position with the right level of competition within the team.”
We maintain an excellent player balance, versatility, role understanding, a mix of experience and youth, and ambition.
Mikel Arteta
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“However, it’s also crucial to have the right personalities in fitting roles and how those responsibilities will develop.
“We’re in a strong position. I am genuinely satisfied with the team we’ve gathered.”
In the 2023-24 season, the pursuit of the title was hampered by an unfortunate injury to defender William Saliba.
Last season, crucial players such as Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus weakened the squad as Liverpool dominated the title race.
This summer’s investments were essential after letting Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney leave on free transfers.
Arteta commented: “When you stir things up and introduce new players, changes are inevitable.
“Our goal is to elevate our competitiveness, to improve, and to learn from past experiences. Last year, we faced considerable challenges with the squad we had.
“If you reflect on the size and depth of other teams’ squads and their available resources, we aimed for at least that and more.
“We’re concentrating on investing in the right profiles and personalities, especially players who can give us an edge and enhance our performance, and I’m quite confident we’ve achieved that.”
Importantly, Arsenal may not be done yet in the transfer market.
Arteta remarked: “We’re all smiling, recognizing that we’ve done well, but the market is still open.
“We need to remain vigilant, as anything can occur. However, for now, the outlook is optimistic.”
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