Mikel Arteta has expressed his ongoing efforts to sign new players to enhance his Arsenal squad, particularly after Vinícius Júnior decided to remain with Real Madrid.
After a week of speculation, Vinícius signed a lucrative new contract with Real Madrid on Thursday. Arsenal was positioned to make a move if an agreement had not been reached, but they will now redirect their focus to other potential targets.
Following another preseason loss to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, Arteta was asked if fans should anticipate further signings. He responded, “That’s what we’re working towards.”
“We need to find the right players in the market who can significantly improve our squad. We are eager for that to happen.”
Bruno Guimarães, who recently joined from Newcastle for £75 million ($101.2 million), was introduced to the crowd at the Emirates Stadium before the 3-2 defeat, but Arsenal still seems to lack the necessary depth on the left wing, where Vinícius could have had an immediate effect.
Arsenal may also be in search of a defender, especially with William Saliba facing a prolonged absence due to a back injury. The team has conceded three goals in back-to-back friendly matches.
“Today, we conceded some preventable goals in our performance,” Arteta remarked. “This is a collective responsibility, so we need to improve with the players we currently have. We definitely want to enhance our squad.”
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“Saliba is currently resting for about two weeks. He had a setback with an aggravated injury, so it will take some time to recover. We are aware of this, and we’ll keep you updated as we receive more information.”