On September 6 at 23:30 CEST, Arsenal will host Chelsea in the third round of the Premier League. After the media embargo lifted, portions of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference have been released. The remaining sections are expected to be released on September 6 at 05:30 CEST.

Do you think the team is stronger now compared to the end of last season?

Yes, I think so.

Can you explain why you feel that way?

Well, it's a personal feeling. But now we have to prove it through our performance on the pitch. I think our current squad is better, and compared to the start of last season, we now have more players who are fit and available to play. Beyond that, I think we've not only improved the technical quality of the team overall but also enhanced the leadership and capabilities within the squad, which is very important and crucial for us.

Obviously, everyone has discussed losing attacking players — four departed but only one new one arrived. Can you explain to us how, given circumstances that seem strange to everyone, your choices have actually made you stronger? You're clearly stronger in defense and midfield, but is that also true up front?

Yes, but this is a global issue. In that particular position, we have to prove through actual performance whether we've improved or not; let's wait and see. We need to test it in real matches, and personally, I don't like making any subjective assumptions before it all happens. I think scoring goals and attacking isn't just the responsibility of a few forwards; it's actually a collective responsibility of the entire team and our tactical dynamics. Moreover, in that position, we have various options and players with different characteristics and technical styles.

I actually wanted to bring this up earlier, but has everyone forgotten about the excellent squad you already have? Former manager Wenger famously said we live in a society that loves what is new and dislikes what is old, always chasing something new, and everyone is obsessed with the next shiny new thing. So I want to ask you, have people overlooked the valuable assets you already possess?

I think it's human nature. I suppose whenever you talk with people and ask them, the typical answer is, "Well, what's on your wish list?" Yes, people are always eager to write out various wish lists when discussing the future. But sometimes we forget what I call the "reverse wish list" — the beautiful things that already exist and that you already have in your life. However, because people tend to focus heavily on goals they haven't yet achieved, everything they currently have never seems satisfying enough.

This isn't just true in football but in everyday life as well. I think it's very important to learn to appreciate and value what we already have, and that's why I constantly praise this team and express how much I love our players. I truly appreciate everything we have right now and the results we've created together.

Of course, having ambition is great. Always maintaining the desire and ambition to improve, especially to nurture and develop the positive elements already within the club, is absolutely necessary. But never lose your objective perspective, and don't overlook the extraordinary players we have now. We're very fortunate to fight alongside them.

Hello Mikel, during your time as Arsenal manager, you've only signed three forwards — Gabriel Jesus, Havertz, and Gyökeres — while you've signed more than 10 defenders. What's the reason?

Because you only need one striker on the pitch, but you need two to three center-backs, so the demand for defenders is naturally greater. So what do you think the most logical acquisition ratio should be?

I actually don't know, I'm just giving my opinion...

So what's your actual core question?

I mean the gap — the large difference between the number of forwards you've signed and the number of defenders. What's the reason? Is it due to the transfer market situation? Or something else?

Are you saying I should have signed more forwards, is that it?

Yes!

Well, it depends on the specific circumstances. When I first arrived, we already had two very good strikers in Aubameyang and Lacazette. After that, we also had Nketiah, who came from our own academy. Then, over time, things changed. I'm not sure how to explain it systematically, but there's also the point that you have to trust the players you have to take on this responsibility.

Now, we've made moves in the transfer market. We made acquisitions in last summer's transfer window. And currently, Gabi (Jesus) is transferring to Barcelona. I'd also like to take this opportunity to express my deepest and highest gratitude to him, because he has made a very significant contribution to changing the overall dynamics and spirit within and around our club.

I think when Gabi first arrived, he brought a strong belief of "this is mine," that vibrant energy, internal confidence, and a unique powerful aura that really helped and greatly contributed to what we later achieved. And now, yes, he has an incredible opportunity to enjoy one of the biggest clubs in the world, and Barcelona is also a very attractive and desirable place. We're all happy for him and wish him the best.

Regarding the transfer window, it's been reported that your assistant coach Gabriel Heinze has contacted some of his Argentine teammates to explore their interest in joining Arsenal. What exactly is Heinze's personal role? Does he have any specific responsibility or authority in player recruitment and transfer matters?

I don't know where this rumor comes from, but everyone on our staff shares responsibility for what we do, and we certainly know many people in football. Obviously, when recruiting, we need to research players' backgrounds. There are certainly existing relationships within our coaching staff, and these resources should certainly be utilized appropriately, but this is fundamentally no different from the work done by our other coaching staff members.

Hi Mikel, given that you've become Premier League champions and reached the Champions League final, do you feel somewhat disappointed that it's still so difficult and challenging to close some transfer deals? With a league title and a Champions League finalist squad, a lot of world-class stars should be lining up to knock on Arsenal's door, shouldn't they?

I don't know what to say, but I think closing deals in this transfer market is very complicated and not as straightforward as it might appear. I don't know how easy it looks from the outside, but in reality, we've deployed all possible efforts and resources to push through and complete these transfers.

It's very satisfying that we have indeed closed most of the transfers we wanted and demonstrated very high operational efficiency. I think Andrea's (Director of Sport Berta) strategic planning in the transfer market this year once again shows an exceptional level, and of course, this isn't without the strong support of the entire club behind the scenes; that's simply how it is. However, transfer operations are never perfect, and in fact, they don't need to be.

Do you still feel you need to actively "sell" this club to players now? Does Arsenal still need to prove something to the whole world?

No, regarding this, I think the club's brand name itself is already persuasive enough and fully capable of attracting players to come. In this respect, I think we're very fortunate. Moreover, we're in a very beautiful city (London), which has always been a tremendous added value for players' wives, girlfriends, and families.

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