Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was interviewed by SuperSport, where he reflected on last season's Premier League title race, discussed new summer signings, and spoke about his friendships with Iraola and Alonso.

Mikel, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with SuperSport. For the first time in more than two decades, we are interviewing an Arsenal manager who is the current Premier League champion. How does it feel? And what are your thoughts on the reaction from fans around the world?

It feels even better than I imagined, than we all imagined. Because this has been a long journey. A journey where we experienced some beautiful moments, but clearly also moments filled with self-doubt. When you give everything, you get so close to your dream, and then ultimately fall short, that blow is brutal and difficult. But I think we're enjoying this moment more than ever before, because we feel we earned this title. And we did it our own way. It's truly amazing to witness firsthand the emotional connection between us and Arsenal fans in London and around the world.

Now that the club has won the title, how is the atmosphere and energy here?

Fantastic. Clearly, winning a title is like awakening a beast inside you that craves victory, a voice constantly telling you: I want to feel this again. We also realize what kind of effort we need to put in to reignite those emotions and wonderful experiences. So it depends on our daily training, the standards we set for ourselves, the club's relentless ambition, and the mentality of every member of our coaching staff and players. Everyone needs to prove themselves to each other every single day, in every session, step by step, to achieve our goal again.

Now that you've succeeded, the most pressing question is: can Arsenal retain the title? What are your thoughts on this, Mikel?

We have to prove it on the pitch. In Arsenal Football Club's history, we have never successfully retained the Premier League title. So this is a new opportunity ahead of us. We know what challenges this will bring, and we also know that we are fully capable of doing it, but we must let our actions speak on the pitch. We must demonstrate extreme focus and strong belief in achieving this goal through our words, actions, and daily training habits.

After finishing as runners-up for several consecutive seasons, you finally crossed the line. Does this make you feel a bit more relaxed heading into the new season?

I think it gives you greater clarity and strong belief that you can truly do it. But after that, the new season is still a long marathon. You have to start from preseason, work hard every day, and constantly challenge yourself. Along the way, you will face many unexpected emergencies, and you have to face and resolve them with a natural mindset, while also being very confident in our ability to overcome these difficulties.

In Arsenal's journey to winning the title last season, the team displayed a very distinctive tactical style. Among these, set-piece execution played a very important role. Can we expect to see the same tactical performance in the new season?

We want to be the best at every stage of the game, at every tactical level. Last season, we excelled in many areas of the league, not just in set pieces but in many other aspects as well, which was key to improving our chances of winning the title. In the new season, we will continue to evolve, improve in other areas, and at the same time aim to maintain our already very strong tactical advantage.

You've brought some new faces into the squad during the summer break. What do you expect from their contributions in the new season?

I have a very positive attitude toward them. The first signals they showed in preseason were very encouraging—a very promising start. I think they will bring some elements to this team that were previously lacking, and I believe this is exactly what the team needed.

Beyond football talent, what qualities do you value most when bringing in new players?

First and foremost, they must be good people. I think they need to be someone who can integrate and strengthen our team culture, and be able to build strong relationships with those around them. They need to have a clear purpose, truly understand why they're joining this club, and be ambitious to play here. Second, of course, comes their athletic ability, which must be capable of raising our overall level, making their teammates better, and using their energy, leadership, and winning mentality to elevate the entire team.

Let's talk about the wider Premier League landscape. It feels like the beginning of a new era, especially with so many managerial changes this season. How do you feel about facing more managers you competed against during your playing days?

It's truly remarkable. I mean, life always takes you to places and situations you never expected, and especially in football, it's quite magical in that regard. This has been common throughout my career. But now, especially competing at the same level as Andoni (Iraola) and Xabi (Alonso), it's almost hard to believe, because we used to live just five minutes apart in the same city. And now we're all managing top clubs in the Premier League.

Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to ask next. Antiguako. Am I pronouncing it correctly?

Yes, that's right.

You all made that club famous. Let's talk about how that young academy shaped your playing career?

I would say they deserve all the praise in the world. Because I think they inspired us, ignited the spark within us, made us believe that we were good enough and that we could pursue our dream of becoming professional footballers. But at the same time, they also instilled deeper values in us, such as respect for the game, adherence to football values. They not only taught us to understand the game from a player's perspective but also educated us to think about football from a head coach's perspective. So I'm very grateful for everything they did. I believe many more talented individuals will emerge from there in the future. We certainly weren't the only ones, and it's a great honor for us to reach this position today.

You just mentioned Alonso and Iraola. What does it mean to you that all three of you are now managing top clubs in the Premier League?

It's truly amazing. We used to play on the same team, train together, and compete against each other. And in the blink of an eye, we're all coaching in the best league in the world. We're managing top clubs in the world and will face each other on the pitch. So I'm very proud.

Many people now admire the head coach currently at the top, and that person is you. So where does a top head coach draw inspiration from? Where do you find your inspiration?

There are many sources. My family, my players, members of my coaching staff, other head coaches, other sports, and even other industries, and so on. Because we know that football constantly evolves, the entire industry continues to change, and the demands and expectations on the pitch keep rising. You have to strive to find a better version of yourself to build the best Arsenal Football Club we can have. That's our goal.

Finally, I'd like to talk with you about your holiday. Did you feel recharged? Did you do a lot of grilling during the break? As you used to do at Manchester City?

This summer was indeed enjoyable. The first few days after the penalty shootout loss in the Champions League final were very difficult, and it took some time for me to get over it. But after that, I enjoyed a longer break than usual. I had plenty of time to think about the direction of the club's future and to reflect on myself. Yes, I enjoyed that time. But in the last few weeks of the holiday, I felt energized, somewhat impatient to get back on the pitch, get everything back on track, and see the lads.

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