Arteta: We want to be the best club in the world
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- Mikel Arteta declared Arsenal's ambition to become "the best club in the world," telling Sky Sports they need "the best squad and the best players in the world" ahead of Friday's opener against Coventry.
- Arsenal go into the 2026-27 season as outright title favourites, a status underlined by their 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City on Sunday — their first league title in 22 years coming last season.
- Richard Garlick said Arsenal now need signings who "are going to change the dial," confirming they missed out on Vinicius Junior after he signed a new Real Madrid contract while pursuing Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez.
- Arsenal have spent £143.5m on four summer signings, including Christian Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes, and the permanent arrival of defender Piero Hincapie, with Garlick indicating more spending is possible if the right opportunity arises.
- Arsenal are in talks over defenders Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah to cover William Saliba's extended absence — Aston Villa want £60m for Konsa, and Bayer Leverkusen do not currently want to sell Quansah.
- Arteta acknowledged Arsenal have not defended a top-flight title since the 1990s but called it "an opportunity" the squad is determined to take, saying he sees "that fire, that desire and the will to be better" in his players.
- Arsenal are looking to raise more from sales for financial sustainability and are willing to listen to offers for Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri, and Gabriel Jesus, with uncertainty around Myles Lewis-Skelly's future.
Why it matters: Arsenal's £143.5m summer spend signals an aggressive push to convert a first title in 22 years into sustained dominance, but missing out on Vinicius Junior — and facing a £60m valuation gap on Konsa — shows the elite-tier transfer market is harder to crack than their Community Shield win suggests. With willing sellers on the books in Martinelli, Nwaneri, and Jesus, squad trimming will determine whether the spending is balanced enough to satisfy UEFA and the club's own sustainability push.
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