Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal's summer transfer plans as five-man wishlist emerges

Mikel Arteta has promised a major summer spending spree after admitting ’s squad was “super short” this season. It was Arteta’s own choice to go with a smaller squad because he likes a tight-knit group and togetherness in the dressing room.

But that gamble has ultimately backfired because Arsenal have been hit by injuries and suspensions in a challenging season which has seen them fall behind champions . Gunners boss Arteta wants to add top quality to his squad at the Emirates for next season but there is also a clear desire to bolster their numbers.

Arsenal have made a new centre forward their No1 priority and Arteta is a huge admirer of ’s Alexander Isak while new sporting director Andrea Berta has championed Sporting Lisbon Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners also have a long-standing interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and landing one of them is vital for Arsenal to solve their lack of a centre forward.

They have lined up a £51m deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi while they want a left winger and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams is a name on their hit-list. Arsenal will back Arteta in the market even though there are certain to be departures with attracting interest from Saudi Arabia.

But Arteta also made it clear they will stick to their values and not suddenly spend for the sake of it as they want to make the right additions. Arteta said: “We will do everything that we can to improve the team and especially improve the players that we already have and whatever the market offers to give us a better chance to win for sure we will try to do it.

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“But I think we have to do it our way, and we have to be authentic with ourselves and what we believe and what we can do as well and what we've been doing. That's it.”

Arteta has already admitted that Arsenal’s campaign has been a “backward” step for the club after failing to maintain a challenge to Liverpool. They face ’s newly-crowned champions while still looking for points to at least finish second after a frustrating season.

While Arsenal certainly fulfilled the Premier League 25-man squad rota, the past few weeks has seen them have to stack the bench with academy graduates and kids which has left them short of options. In the past two seasons, they have suffered fewer injuries while this time only two Arsenal outfield players - and William Saliba - have started more than 30 games in the Premier League.

Ten of Liverpool’s players have played more than 30 games in the Premier League and that is a tribute to Arne Slot’s squad rotation but exposes Arsenal’s lack of depth and options. Arteta said: “We knew from the beginning of the decision that our squad was super short and being super short we had some players that had a high probability of getting injured, because that’s what they had in the last few seasons.

“So we knew that and we cannot do anything about it. But that (availability) is a big thing to win trophies, you know, and Liverpool did that extremely well. They managed to maintain that consistency, that level of players, a system, a coach, a stadium that has created again, and consistently, an incredible atmosphere for them.

“So you need a lot of ingredients or you don't win the Premier League. That's the difficulty of it, and it's true that this season we never found that consistently because of the issues that we had.”

Arteta also admitted he was jealous of Liverpool’s title celebrations because Arsenal’s last trophy was the in 2020 and, rather like with Liverpool’s title that season, there was no parade because it was in Covid times.

Arteta added: “I really want it because that is what this club needs and has been so close to achieving. Now we need to make it happen. We have talked about it many times and will continue for sure with the same drive - or more - until we achieve it.”

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