On September 6 at 23:30 Beijing time (15:30 CEST), Arsenal will host Chelsea in the third round of the Premier League. Following the lifting of the media embargo, portions of the confidential section of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference have been released, with the final section to be published on September 6 at 05:30 Beijing time (21:30 CEST the previous day).

Do you feel this team is stronger compared to the end of last season?

Yes, I do.

Can you explain why you feel that way?

Well, it's my personal opinion. But now we have to prove it through our actions on the pitch. I think our current squad is better, and I believe we have more healthy, fit players available now than we did at the start of last season. Additionally, I think we've not only improved the overall technical quality of the team, but also strengthened the leadership qualities and capabilities within the squad, which is very critical and important for any team.

Obviously, everyone has discussed the loss of attacking players—four departures for just one new signing—but can you explain why your squad is arguably stronger in what seems like odd circumstances to many? You're clearly stronger in defence and midfield, but is that true in attack as well?

Yes, but this is a global issue. At that specific position, we need to prove through actual performances whether we've improved or not, so let's wait and see. We need to test it in real matches, and personally, I don't like making subjective assumptions before things actually happen. I think scoring goals and attacking isn't just the responsibility of a few attacking players—it's actually a shared responsibility across the entire team and the dynamic execution of our tactical system. And at that position, we have many different options and players with different technical characteristics and styles.

I actually wanted to mention this earlier, but has everyone forgotten about your excellent existing squad? The former manager Wenger once famously said that we live in a society that loves what's new and dislikes what's old, that constantly chases novelty. Everyone is obsessed with "the next bright thing," so I want to ask you: have people overlooked the valuable assets you already possess?

I think it's human nature. I suppose that whenever you talk to someone and ask them, the usual response is: "Well, what's on your bucket list?" Yes, people are always eager to write out all sorts of bucket lists when discussing the future. But sometimes we forget what I call the "reverse bucket list"—those incredibly wonderful things that already exist and that you have in your life. But because everyone is accustomed to focusing so much on what they don't have, everything in front of them seems never to be enough.

It's not just true in football, but in everyday life as well. I think it's crucial to learn to cherish and value what you already have, which is why I deeply appreciate this team and am vocal about how much I love our players. I truly cherish everything we have right now and the results we've created together.

Of course, it's excellent to have ambition and always maintain the desire to be better, particularly in developing and fostering the positive factors that already exist within the club, which is absolutely necessary. However, don't lose sight of the bigger picture and don't overlook the incredible players we have right now. We're very fortunate to be able to compete alongside them.

Hello Mikel, during your tenure as Arsenal manager, you've only signed three forwards—Gabriel Jesus, Havertz, and Gyökeres—while you've recruited over 10 defenders. What's the reason for that?

Because you only need one striker on the pitch, whereas you need two or three centre-backs, so the demand for defenders is naturally higher. So what do you think is the most reasonable recruitment ratio?

I'm not really sure, I'm just sharing my opinion...

So what's your actual question?

I mean this disparity, the huge difference between the number of forwards recruited and the number of defenders recruited. What's the reason? Is it due to the transfer market, or something else?

Are you saying I should have signed more forwards?

Yes!

Well, it depends on the specific circumstances. When I arrived here, we already had two very good strikers in Aubameyang and Lacazette. After that, we also had Nketiah, who was developed by the club. Later, things evolved differently over time. I'm not sure how to explain it systematically, but another point is that you have to trust the players you have to step up and take on those responsibilities.

Now, we've acted in the transfer market. During last summer's transfer window, we made signings. And at the moment, Gabi (Jesus) is set to transfer to Barcelona. I'd also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere and deep gratitude to him, because he brought an extremely important contribution to changing the overall dynamic and morale both within and around our club.

I think when Gabi arrived, he brought a firm conviction of ownership, that vibrant energy, that inner confidence and powerful unique aura, which really helped and greatly contributed to the achievements we've made since then. And now, yes, he has a wonderful new opportunity to join one of the world's greatest clubs, and Barcelona is also a very charming and pleasant place to live. We're all happy for him and wish him the very best.

Regarding the transfer market, there's a rumour that your assistant coach Gabriel Heinze has contacted some of his Argentine compatriots to gauge their interest in joining Arsenal. What exactly is Heinze's personal role? Does he have specific responsibilities or input in player recruitment and transfers?

I have no idea where that rumour comes from, but we all share responsibility for everything we do, and we know many people in football. Obviously, when recruiting players, we need to thoroughly understand their background. There are indeed certain interpersonal relationships within our coaching staff, and these resources should certainly be used wisely, but in substance it's no different from the work carried out by any other member of our coaching team.

Hi Mikel, given that you're already Premier League champions and reached the Champions League final, do you feel somewhat disappointed that it's still so difficult and challenging to complete certain transfers? With the league title and Champions League final appearance, surely a large number of world-class stars should be queuing up to knock on Arsenal's door?

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

It's gratifying that we've actually managed most of these transfer objectives and demonstrated extremely high operational efficiency. I think Andrea Berta's strategic planning in the transfer market this year has again reached an incredible level, and of course, this is inseparable from the solid backing of the entire club behind the scenes. That's how it is. However, transfer operations are never perfect, and in fact, they don't need to be.

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

No, on that front, I think the club's brand name is in itself sufficiently compelling and perfectly capable of attracting players. In that regard, I think we're very fortunate. Moreover, we're in a very beautiful city (London), which is always a great advantage for the players' families and loved ones.

Traduit par IA.

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