Mikel Arteta confirmed that Arsenal remain eager to bring additional talent into the squad during this summer’s transfer window, while also acknowledging that the pool of players capable of elevating the team to the next level is relatively limited. The Gunners recently experienced disappointment when their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior fell through after the Brazilian forward opted to extend his contract with the Spanish giants.
A similar setback occurred with another high‑profile target, Morgan Rogers, who ultimately chose to join Chelsea after leaving Aston Villa earlier in the season. Despite those missed opportunities, Arsenal successfully secured the services of Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimarães for a reported £75 million on Saturday. Guimarães made his first appearance for the club on Wednesday, coming on at halftime in a friendly against Como at the Emirates Stadium.
While his arrival is a positive step, Arteta emphasized that the club’s quest for further attacking reinforcement is far from over. "There is more that we want to do because every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth to the squad, we need to do that," Arteta explained.
"We are actively trying to do so. The thing in the market is that it doesn't just depend on you.
We are very clear on that." He added that the club’s ambition, determination and willingness to act are unquestionable, but he cautioned that success in the market cannot be guaranteed solely by Arsenal’s own efforts. "But we cannot promise that we're going to do it because it doesn't only depend on us," he said. At present, the Premier League champions have identified Atletico Madrid’s Julian Álvarez and Paris Saint‑Germain’s Bradley Barcola as potential marquee signings. However, Arteta indicated that the search for a high‑impact attacking player is likely to continue deep into the transfer window, given the scarcity of available talent that can truly raise the team’s performance ceiling.
"I think for the margins to improve, there are very few players in the market that are available to do that and bring that to the club," Arteta noted. "But again, we are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try." When questioned about whether such big‑ticket acquisitions might disrupt Arsenal’s wage structure, Arteta deferred to sporting director Andrea Berta and the club’s board, stating, "I'll leave that question to Andrea and the board. My job is more to focus on getting the best out of the players that we have, to create that connection between them and to make every player feel important, regardless of the wages." Arteta expressed satisfaction with Guimarães’ debut against Como, highlighting the midfielder’s impact as a half‑time substitute only four days after his transfer from Newcastle United.
The Brazilian’s performance has already put him in contention for a starting role in the upcoming Community Shield clash with Manchester City. "Let's see," Arteta said.
"He only had three training sessions, but he looked good. He was really pushing to play some minutes.
I think he wanted to get his debut and the feeling of playing in front of our fans immediately. And you sense immediately, I believe, a strong connection at play that is going to make us better." The arrival of Guimarães has also sparked speculation about the future of young midfielder Myles Lewis‑Skelly.
Chelsea have reportedly made an enquiry, and Manchester United remain a long‑term target for the 19‑year‑old. Nonetheless, Lewis‑Skelly made a memorable contribution in the friendly, scoring Arsenal’s goal against Como and celebrating with a heartfelt gesture towards the home crowd.
Arteta praised the youngster’s emotion and enthusiasm, saying, "It's good to score a goal, you should be emotional when you score a goal. He's a very emotional player. I remember when he did all the gestures on the pitch last season. I'm not going to talk about any speculation.
If there is a speculation about our player, it's a good sign. That means that we attract attention and they're doing a good job." He also highlighted Lewis‑Skelly’s strong pre‑season showing, noting that the coaching staff experimented with his position, deploying him more as a defensive midfielder (a "six") to cover for the absence of senior central midfielders on international duty.
"I think he had a really good pre‑season. I think we asked him to play in a different position, because he played more as a six, because we lacked central midfielders, obviously with international duties, and I think he had a really consistent pre‑season," Arteta added. Overall, Arteta’s comments convey a clear message: Arsenal are committed to strengthening the squad, but they recognize that the market offers limited options for truly transformative signings.
The club will continue to pursue targets, balancing ambition with realistic expectations, while also focusing on integrating new arrivals like Guimarães and nurturing home‑grown talents such as Lewis‑Skelly to maintain competitiveness across all competitions.