Ahead of Wednesday/Thursday night’s friendly game with Liverpool in Philadelphia, Mikel Arteta sat down with the media to preview the game and also to chat about new signing Riccardo Calafiori and why the club made such a big effort to recruit another defender despite having the most clean sheets in the Premier League last season.
Here’s what the boss had to say…
On signing Calafiori…
Yes, very happy. It took a while. He’s a player that we have monitored for over a year. We were really short in the back line last season in terms of numbers and we demanded so much from them. Willy [Saliba], for example, played every minute of the Premier League and we believe that we have to be much more protected. We identified him as a player, as a talent that can give us skills and qualities that are going to make us better and he’s a signing, a player with huge capacity to develop.
On whether he’s more of a left-back, a centre-back or both…
Both positions. Especially the way we want to play and the things that we want to evolve in our game model, he’s a player that is going to fit really well for what we want.
On being pleased with the business…
Yes, I’m very happy that we’ve got Riccardo done. As I said, I think it was very important to have that reinforcement in the back line considering the issues that we had especially last year and once Jurrien [Timber] was injured. It increases the competition, increases the quality and it’s very good news for the team.
On facing Liverpool having beaten Manchester United…
Yes, another great test. Again, moving to a different city, jet lag, we have to adapt to that, a different pitch, different stadium, different weather conditions. All great. And obviously against a team with a new manager that I really like, especially the way he plays. It is going to be very tough. So a really good test for us again.
On what Arne Slot will bring to the Premier League…
I don’t know him personally, but I’ve watched his past team and first of all I like a lot the person and the way he comes across. I heard very good things from players and they are probably the best ones to ask. Really impressive as well the way he sets up his teams and the clarity and the quality that the teams show so it’s going to be a really good game.
On Emile Smith Rowe being on the verge of an exit…
I cannot talk about deals that they haven’t done yet.
On how much he and his players experience the cities they visit when on tour…
When we have the chance, we love to do that and get something from that culture and things that we can learn from the city and try to implement as well in our team. We arrived here last night, we haven’t really had time. If we have this afternoon we’ll try to do something about it. So hopefully, yes.
On what is next in the transfer market…
Let’s see, we have to wait and see the movements in the markets. We already identified things that we can improve, since we had the meetings in February, March, April. If we can, we will try to strengthen the team in the areas that we believe we can get better. So far I’m really happy with what we have.
On what it was about the defence he wanted to improve…
Well, especially the numbers. We ended up with six defenders in the back line. At this level, you have to be really lucky to sustain a season at that level. We were because Willy and Gabi played almost every minute but Willy played more than 50 per cent more minutes than the previous season. So if Willy is able to sustain that for three or four years, that’s a big question mark. At this level, you cannot just bet on that. I think that’s a big bet and we didn’t want to take that bet.
On other clubs having an interest in Calafiori and whether he’s finding it easier to attract players to the Emirates these days…
That was great when I spoke to him one or two times and I knew the other things and I wasn’t really sure whether we could do it [the deal] or not. He was adamant [saying], “Let me know when you’re ready, my bags are ready and I just want to come to Arsenal.” Those were his words and when you have that feeling and someone with that willingness to join us to make us better and that determination that’s something really powerful and I think as a club we should be very proud of that.
On his experience of the Arsenal fans in the States compared to back home…
It’s been great. It is different because the way they lift [the players] and the way the atmosphere is created in the stadium is very different to the Premier League. It was unbelievable when we played two or three days ago in the SoFi Stadium and I’ve heard that here it’s going to be really, really good as well.
On the importance of getting Calafiori out to the USA tour…
At the end you want to integrate the player within your culture, within your team, within your model as quickly as possible and that requires a little bit of time, especially when you move from a different country. We have signed recently quite a lot of players that are already in the Premier League, which facilitates and makes things easier. With other players it can take a little bit longer. But he’s in a really good place, his English is really good, he already has a big understanding of what we want because I already explained it to him and he’s so excited. So let’s go day by day.
On whether he’s confident of getting missing players back in time for the start of the season…
I’m very confident because when I spoke to them they really want to be part of it as quick as possible and they are really preparing to be ready to come, not to start preparing when they come back which is very different.
On when Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka return…
At the end of this week.
On whether Calafiori will play against Liverpool on Wednesday…
Good question. I don’t know. He had a long flight, yesterday he had a medical. So the last 48 hours they’ve been quite busy for him. Today he hasn’t really done anything with the team. Tomorrow, he will probably train some parts. So let’s see how it is. We don’t want to rush anything. If he’s available and fit, great. He might play a few minutes. But if we think he’s still not ready, we’re not going to push him.
On Arsenal spending big money last summer and whether another big transfer is likely…
We don’t expect to do anything like it at this moment.
The last answer isn’t what I want to hear!!
He’s bluffing 😉
was thinking the same thing. Ofc not the end of the world, but would be lovely as fans to get someone that’s a real upgrade in principally on the left 8/wing.
Though ofc, money doesn’t mean value! There’s 0.5% that is dreaming we can turn Nico William’s head from Barca 😂
We need a midfielder (#6/#8). Seems with the Merino/Ruiz rumors we’re on it… Let’s see…
Nico is staying put which should also remove Raphina from the market.
He only meant that the club weren’t going to spend massively on a single outlay like they did last summer with Rice. (The questioner specifically mentioned the Rice deal as the comparison.) So, don’t expect a £100m move for someone. Doesn’t mean we won’t do more business!
The key phrase is “not at this moment” which is a factual statement. If we sell Eddie and Reiss, we may be in the market for a forward at the end of the window. There are still some high priced strikers out there that haven’t moved and those prices will come down at the end of the window. Whoever is out there will need to raise the current level of the squad, have a high football IQ, have a superpower we need and be available at the right price. A small list.
Fair point about Saliba’s minutes (4300 in the PL+CL last season). He’s also definitely noted that Saka’s played 3600+ minutes in the same competitions. If you can’t make do with White, Kiwior, Timber and Tomiyasu as backup CBs (which you can’t), you also should not make do with Jesus and Vieira as rotation for Saka.
Not sure what the definition of a ‘big transfer’ is, but if we don’t put serious money into the forward line, we’re not doing what we need to genuinely compete in the league and Champions League simultaneously.
Cover for Saka is my biggest concern. He will play every Interlull and we have no one credible to push him, give him a rest, or cover if he gets hurt aside from Viera (who is also Martin’s cover) and playing others out of position. Still hoping for a tricky RW on the rise who “wants to be part of the project” a la Riccardo.
It’s a lot to rely on Jesus, but if he’s fit he can be the guy we need all along the forward line (backup for Saka and ST rotation). We’d need to spend +70M to get anyone at his level. I think the reality is we’re not going to add a forward.
There is no way we let Nelson and Nketiah leave without bringing in a forward imo
Maybe a promising youngster, but it seems unlikely we’re going to drop the money needed for a worldy forward… We’d all love Nico Williams, but it just doesn’t seem likely, rather it seems very unlikely.
Yilmaz is that player. Can also cover across the front line. Hoping we are quietly working on that while we secure a Spaniard for midfield.
Good shout on yilmaz. He was excellent at the euros.
I’m generally good with that description, assuming the manager’s actually willing to play that player. If we bring in someone at an ‘affordable’ price who he doesn’t trust, it’s going to be more expensive long term.
I suspect raphinha is well and truly in our crosshairs; we tried to sign him when he joined Barca, and he is most certainly available and PL ready
It’s good to hear Arteta confirm that we were monitoring Calafiori for over a year, as some people seem to believe that we bought him purely on the basis of the 3 games that he played for Italy at Euro’24.
It’s pretty obvious that Arteta is a planner, and doesn’t make impetuous decisions. The fact he’s earned management’s trust allows him to execute plans for the long term, unlike some other top tier clubs, who go fishing for new managers every few years.
Should have bought him last year for 4m then lol
That would’ve been 2 years ago. It sounds like they monitored him after he arrived at Bologna, which is really where he blossomed into this player. Prior to that there were major fitness concerns which is what drove his value down.
It’s the same on Slot. ‘I don’t know him personally, but…. I’ve watched every game he’s ever managed, including his early stint in charge of the U12’s 2nd Eleven, at 7th Division side, FC Uzles.
We do the research.
Very excited to see how our defense and midfield are set up this season, if we can avoid major injuries it’s hard not to be pretty confident. A bit of additional firepower for the front line would be nice now! And hope we can get Merino over the line.
“Let me know when you’re ready, my bags are ready and I just want to come to Arsenal.”
When players are saying that you know the Arsenal is up there with the top European teams again!
I still think Jesus should be cover for Saka and we should get a forward in!
On the blog kroenke management and the super league were mentioned. Like it or not, and I don’t, the super leagues was a defensive action taken at a time when Arsenal was at nadir.
secondly kse is a long term investor/owner. That is why the real estate is always part of the deal.
from acquisition I have been excited about kse owning Arsenal because they understand risk, opportunity and sustainability.