Mikel Arteta on transfers, his contract and reflections on last season | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that he will soon sign a new contract with the club, and says the Gunners are "looking to improve in every possible department" this summer.

Arteta's side ran Manchester City close in the Premier League title race in each of the last two seasons, ultimately finishing just two points behind Pep Guardiola's champions last term.

And in a lengthy interview with ESPN, the Spaniard says having analysed his side's performance last season, he is satisfied with the progress that was made, and hungry to go again in 2024/25.

"When you are analytical and you gather all the stats and everything the team has done over the past 11 months in the Premier League, we should have won it," said Arteta.

"That's what the stats say. The reality is that we didn't so there is something that is there that we haven't managed as well as Man City or other clubs in the past.

"I think we understand where those margins are. I think we have come very far. We have been really consistent now in the past 24 months in terms of performance and the levels that we want to hit.

"But those margins are super small. One thing is to get the 90% that we want and actually the 10%, 5%, 1% is what defines success and winning major trophies. Now we have to continue to do all the right things that we are doing and just make those small margins that are going to be able to win the tournaments."

Arteta acknowledges that "small margins" such as his side's 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in April were ultimately what cost them the title, but when asked whether it took a long time to get over the disappointment of missing out, his answer was unequivocal.

"I don't want to get over it," he said.

"I am really satisfied with the way the team is performing, the way the players are evolving, what the team transmits, the momentum we have as a football club. In all departments, not only on the men's side, but the women's side, what we are doing with the academy, the prospects that we have there.

"But we need that pain and that hunger to achieve what we want to achieve because the competition is unbelievable and we are going to need everybody feeling that way to achieve it.

"I could feel it straight away [the hunger in the squad]. We have a gathering together after the final whistle against Everton [on the final day of last season] and that was the only thing they were talking about: What are we going to do next season? They are looking at us and saying, 'OK, what is next? What are you going to do next? How are you going to again turn the wheel and find something else, that extra motivation, other tactics and something amongst the group that is going to elevate everybody's level?'

"The club is sharing that vision and we are trying to achieve that."

Arsenal have not been active in the transfer market yet this summer, although in recent days they have been strongly linked with a swoop for Bologna and Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori.

"We are looking to improve in every possible department," said Arteta, when asked whether the club will look to sign an additional attacking player this summer.

"With the new regulations, there are certain things we have to respect and be conscious of and then obviously the Euros and Copa América are slowing everything down. Hopefully now it is going to pick up a little bit.

"I think both ways [players coming in and going out of the club]. There are things that we have to improve, that's for sure and we are going to try to.

"But the market is tricky. We have been very aggressive, we are very determined and we have a clear idea obviously of what we want to do. It will come down to finding the right agreements at the right time."

And when asked about his own contract - which is set to expire in June 2025 - Arteta was typically relaxed and tight-lipped about the situation, while hinting that there could be a development in the pipeline.

"No, there is no update at the moment. The thing that hasn't changed is how happy I am and how valued I feel here and how much I love representing this club," he said.

"Things happen in a natural way and our relationship is that good that I don't predict any issues happening. But things have to develop in the right way and it will happen."

Arteta and the Arsenal stars who are not representing their countries at this summer's international tournaments are currently at a training camp in Marbella, with pre-season friendlies against Bournemouth, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon to come, before they kick off their new season at home to Wolves on 17 August.