Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s hierarchy are completely aligned over their summer transfer window needs and are “very close to achieving” their aims.
The focus was on Arsenal’s scoring deficiencies in midweek as Arteta’s squad couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities during the Champions League semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Ligue 1 titleholders secured a 2-1 victory in their home city, just a week after narrowly defeating Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, but owed much to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s exceptional saves, which came within the opening minutes of the second leg.
Donnarumma’s incredible reflexes and agility thwarted both Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, with another remarkable save in the second half to deny Bukayo Saka. This has stirred discussions around Arsenal’s need to recruit a natural striker this summer, a need that has been acknowledged for some time now.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Arsenal’s clash with newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool, a defiant Arteta suggested the club already know what they need to do when the summer window opens, and pointed to the fact that all decision makers at the club are singing from the same hymn sheet.
“I understand the narrative [about signing a No 9]. When you create five expected goals but only score one, it’s going to happen. It’s normal,” Arteta said. “We look at the things with much more data and resources than many people, but a lot of people have very good intuition on what is needed – and it’s good to listen to those opinions.
“We have a very clear vision from the ownership, the owner and the board, the new sporting director, we are all aligned on what we want to do. We are very close to achieving it – and that’s it.
“Some days it will be sunny, then the storm will come. You have to go through every single day, lift your head up, make sure that you’re doing your very best in a very honest way and you’re fully believing what you can do. Then it will come.”
Arsenal have been forced to deploy Mikel Merino as an emergency striker in recent months, having lost both Kai Havertz – an attacking midfielder converted into a striker – and Gabriel Jesus to season-ending injuries in January and February.
They have been linked to the likes of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, but any deal for that trio is likely to cost Arsenal a significant amount of money – an investment they may not be able to make if they decide to tie up a €60m (£50.8m) transfer for Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
