Ahead of the new Premier League season, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was interviewed by talkSPORT.
Mikel, with only a few days until the start of the new Premier League season, how excited are you to be back in front of your home fans as defending champions?
Very excited. We've already had a taste of the competitive atmosphere of the new season through the Community Shield final, and the great feeling that winning brought us. Now, yes, it's a brand new season with brand new expectations. We have the opportunity to achieve something this football club has never done before: retain the Premier League title. That is our ambition.
How has the team's training been since winning the Community Shield? When I spoke to you in the tunnel at Cardiff, you seemed very surprised by the tactical intensity the team showed, given that many players returned late due to World Cup duties.
Yes, I was very impressed. I think it's all down to the players' strong desire to improve—they even performed beyond their physical limits that day. I was really pleased to see the starting players and substitutes in such good form, and the reaction from those who didn't make the squad. Our training this week has been excellent. We know Friday will be a real test, and the first game of the Premier League season is always very, very difficult. We are prepared for it.
Given that you were playing against a direct rival that has been competing with you for the title in recent seasons, did this victory feel like a strong statement?
It was certainly one of the toughest tests you could face in pre-season. The opponent was arguably the strongest you could meet, and they played an almost full-strength XI. I was very pleased with the team's response and the way we played. But the league is about consistency—delivering such performances every three days—and we know we have to focus on the next game.
Historically, only three managers have successfully defended the Premier League title: Ferguson, Mourinho, and Guardiola. How much motivation is it for you to join this elite group?
This is not a personal honour, but a common goal for our entire team and the club's ambition. Yes, it's a very special challenge. When you already know how to win the championship, it's a completely different challenge to replicate it. We will face various new difficulties on our journey, but they're similar to the experiences we've accumulated over recent years. I am very confident that we will create a great opportunity for ourselves to challenge for the title again.
You've strengthened the squad this summer with players like Guimarães and Tsoulas, both of whom performed admirably last weekend. How important is it to continue bringing in new players and fresh ideas to the dressing room from a position of strength?
I believe that when we want to show ambition at the club, that strength must come from the very top. The club owners have given us tremendous support and backing in everything we do—whether building the stadium, upgrading the training ground, or bringing in staff and players. Our motivation is always to strive for better. If we can unearth excellent talent abroad to make us stronger, we must do so. But more importantly, we must focus on developing the existing young talent within the club, ensuring they continue to grow, evolve, and improve.
Can you feel that the arrival of new signings is pushing the established players? Everyone seems eager to defend their place in the team.
New players always bring something different. When these new signings join the club with the right purpose, the right ambition, and a strong desire to write new history for the club, it raises everyone's level—first and foremost my own—because expectations are higher.
There are still two weeks left until the transfer window closes. Do you expect more new signings during this period?
You can see how unpredictable this league is—so many things can happen in a day. So it's best not to say too much, stay prepared, remain open, and hopefully we can end this transfer window in a very positive way.
Before the Community Shield, you were asked about your long-term future and contract negotiations, and you told Arsenal fans not to worry. Do you think you can manage a club for many years and build a dynasty like Guardiola, Wenger, and Ferguson?
I just want to do my best and do what's best for the club. I feel very happy and grateful to be in this position, working with the people I work with every day. My goal is to continue in this way.
On Sunday in Cardiff, did it feel strange when you saw that Guardiola was no longer in the opposite dugout? You've had an intense rivalry over the past few years, and you have a deep personal relationship with him.
It felt very unusual. Obviously, I know Enzo Maresca very well, but the relationship I built with Pep Guardiola during our time working together is extremely special. Over the past six or seven years, to keep up with the extremely high standards and benchmarks he set in this league, he pushed me to put in countless hours of mental effort and work—it was a complete spur and inspiration for me. He has set the benchmark in this league and left his mark; that history will never fade. It's fair to say he has made us all better.
Did you have many conversations with him after the season ended and you were crowned Premier League champions?
We talked. And in the coming days, we will have a very important conversation, which I'm looking forward to.
Returning to the first match, what kind of challenge will it be to face a newly promoted team in the season opener?
The first game is always very special for everyone. You go through a long preparation period, study every detail of the opponent meticulously, have enough time to prepare, and then it's time to show it on the pitch. Yes, we can't wait. I know the atmosphere at the Emirates on Friday night will be absolutely electric, so let's make sure we play with that energy and conviction and make sure we're smiling at the end of the game.
You just spoke to Gyökeres, and obviously facing his former club is a special game for him, but you have some pleasant selection headaches, don't you? Havertz was also in great form last weekend.
That's exactly the kind of healthy competition we want to create in the team. The lads have embraced it naturally, and each of them feels important. They all know what they can contribute to the team. Obviously, Viktor Gyökeres will be a significant player for us.
One last question. We spoke to Richard Garlick earlier, and he believes that Arsenal's squad stability and continuity will give you a huge advantage this season, as there have been too many changes on the coaching benches of other rivals, with a record number of new managers in the Premier League. Do you agree?
Yes, but we have to prove it. We have to make sure that this stability is accompanied by the continuous evolution and improvement of the team, always maintaining the ambition to be a new generation rather than sticking with the status quo. We have a solid foundation, but we must have the determination to constantly grow and improve.
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