Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have been transformed since he took charge in December 2019, but admits the one thing still missing is a major trophy.
Three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League and a Champions League semi-final are no mean feat, yet the Spaniard knows it’s silverware that seals legacies. He’s spent the summer reinforcing his squad across the board in an attempt to put that right.
What he hasn’t reinforced, however, is his maths.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, he said: “I give my passion, my energy, my knowledge and everything I have to give to this club. I believe we have transformed this club from where it was to where it is today.
“In terms of performance, when we look at the last three years of the Premier League, we are the team that has scored the most points. But we still need to win a major title. That’s what we’re missing, because the rest is done.”
The rest, maybe. The points, not so much. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have amassed 257 in the last three campaigns, 10 more than Arsenal. Liverpool, in the same period, have managed 233. So, it’s more “Second again, olé, olé” than top of the pile. But you get the gist.
“The connection with the fans has changed, there’s no doubt that Arsenal is one of the best teams in Europe at the moment, but we still need to seal that achievement,” he added.
He’s certainly happy with the summer’s work. Six new arrivals, a productive Asia tour, and a squad that looks deeper than it has in years.
“It was a summer in which we had the chance to rest and relax. It was also a summer in which we worked hard, in which we were able to sign new players to have a bigger and better quality squad. It’s going to be an exciting season, just look at the level of all the teams, of the league in general.”
At the sharp end of that excitement is Viktor Gyökeres. The Swede arrives on the back of two prolific years in Portugal and returns to England for his first crack at the Premier League. His shirt sales have reportedly smashed club records for a new signing, so the pressure to deliver is already sky-high.
Arteta, though, thinks he’ll cope just fine.
“We [have] brought in a special player. When you look at his statistics, it’s impressive what he’s done in recent years. And secondly, because we needed to improve that area of our squad.
“Last season we had injuries to important players, who were out for four or five months. At this level, that’s unsustainable.
“Now, given all this context, we needed a player who had the personality to withstand the pressure of putting on that shirt and going out on the pitch with all that. Viktor has all that.”
