Mikel Arteta says Arsenal cannot promise further signings before the end of the summer transfer window, after the failure to land Vinicius Junior and amid the club’s search for defensive and attacking reinforcements.
Arsenal drew 1-1 with Como at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening before beating Cesc Fabregas’ side on penalties in a pre-season friendly.
Bruno Guimaraes made his first appearance for Arsenal following his £75m move from Newcastle United, while Christos Tzolis was given more playing time after joining the club for £34m earlier in the summer.
Arsenal are still looking for a defensive alternative after William Saliba suffered a back injury. The Premier League champions are also keen to strengthen Arteta’s attacking options, particularly after Vinicius Junior extended his contract with Real Madrid earlier this month.
However, Arteta believes the final stages of the transfer window could make further business difficult, with very few players available who would significantly improve his squad.
“There is more that we want to do because every time we have the opportunity to improve the team and add more quality and depth, we have to do it,” Arteta said after the draw with Como, according to the English newspaper Metro.
“But we are working extremely hard to do that. The situation in the market does not depend on you alone, and we are very clear about that.
“But the club’s approach, its willingness and its desire are not in doubt. We want to try to do it.
“But we cannot promise that we will, because, again, it does not depend only on us.”
Arsenal have already made moves to strengthen their squad this summer, but Arteta suggested that adding players capable of making a meaningful difference would be particularly challenging.
“To improve on the margins, there are very few players available in the market who are capable of doing that and bringing that to the club,” he said.
“But we are working hard to improve that and we will try.”
Arsenal’s pursuit of further attacking quality was complicated by Vinicius Junior’s decision to commit his future to Real Madrid. The club now face a limited pool of potential targets as they assess whether another addition would genuinely improve Arteta’s options.
Arteta also declined to discuss speculation surrounding Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has been linked with Chelsea and Manchester United this week.
“I am not going to speak about any speculation,” Arteta said.
“If there is speculation about our players, that is a good sign. It means that we are attracting attention and that they are doing well.”
Lewis-Skelly’s situation remains part of the wider transfer discussion around Arsenal, but Arteta offered no indication that the club is considering his departure. Instead, the manager focused on the difficulty of completing deals that would add sufficient quality and depth to a squad already competing at the highest level.
The friendly against Como provided another opportunity for Arsenal’s summer arrivals to build match fitness, with Guimaraes making his first appearance for the club and Tzolis continuing his preparations for the new campaign.
