Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Arsenal's hunt for a difference-making addition this summer remains alive, even as he conceded that few players in world football could genuinely elevate the champions' first-choice XI.
Speaking after Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Como on Wednesday, the Spanish coach made clear that the north London club have not abandoned their pursuit of a headline transfer, despite the challenges involved in identifying and landing such a talent.
"I think for the margins to improve, there are very few players in the market that are available to do that and bring that to the club," Arteta said. "But again, we are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try."
Arsenal's search for a marquee arrival had initially centred on Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, but that avenue closed after the Brazilian committed his future to the Spanish giants by signing a new contract. With that route no longer available, attention has shifted toward Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez and Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola as alternative targets.
Either deal would represent a significant financial undertaking for Arsenal, likely surpassing the £75 million they paid Newcastle for club captain Bruno Guimaraes. Despite the scale of investment required, the Premier League champions appear willing to wait for the right opportunity rather than rush into a deal.
Arteta reiterated that squad improvement remains an ongoing priority beyond any single marquee addition. "Every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth to the squad, we need to do that," he explained. "We are actively trying to do so. The thing in the market is that it doesn't just depend on you. We are very clear on that."
The comments underline the complexity of negotiating high-profile transfers, where interest from a buying club must align with a selling club's willingness to do business and a player's own preferences.
Elsewhere in the post-match discussion, Arteta was pressed on the future of Myles Lewis-Skelly following reports suggesting Arsenal had offered the 19-year-old to both Manchester United and Chelsea. The young midfielder had produced an emotional celebration after scoring, adding intrigue to the speculation surrounding his situation.
Arteta declined to address the transfer rumours directly but used the opportunity to praise Lewis-Skelly's development. "I'm not going to talk about any speculation," he said. "If there is a speculation about our player, it's a good sign. That means that we attract attention and they're doing a good job."
The Arsenal manager went on to highlight the versatility Lewis-Skelly has shown during preseason preparations, noting that the teenager had been asked to adapt to an unfamiliar role due to squad circumstances. "I think he had a really good pre-season," Arteta said. "I think we asked him to play in a different position, because he played more as a six, because we lacked central midfielders, obviously with international duties, and I think he had a really consistent pre-season."
With the transfer window still open, Arsenal's pursuit of reinforcements is expected to continue, with Alvarez and Barcola remaining names to watch as the club looks to add the kind of quality Arteta believes is scarce but not impossible to find.
Based on reporting from The Independent.