Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged fans to value the club's existing squad, drawing parallels with former manager Arsène Wenger's past comments on the transfer market's obsession with new faces. Arteta's defence comes after the summer transfer window closed without a major deadline-day arrival, leading to some supporter angst.
Arteta's side has started the season strongly, winning all three of their matches, including the Community Shield against Manchester City, without conceding a goal. The manager stated, "We are better equipped. We have more players available. We have increased the quality and we have increased the leadership in the team as well, which is very important."
Despite the manager's positive outlook, the club saw several high-profile departures from its front line, including Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Ethan Nwaneri. Martinelli's move to Al-Hilal for £60m marked a club-record sale. While Arteta acknowledged the number of departures, he noted, "we have to prove in that particular position whether we are better or not."
Arsenal did attempt to sign major attacking talents, including Vinícius Júnior, Julián Alvarez, and Morgan Rogers, but these deals did not materialise. Arteta suggested that the difficulty in closing deals for elite players in the current market is "complicated."