Arsenal Shift Transfer Focus
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the club remains focused on signing new players to strengthen the squad after Vinicius Junior decided to continue his career at Real Madrid, according to ESPN.
Vinicius put an end to weeks of speculation by agreeing a new contract with the Spanish giants on Thursday. Arsenal had reportedly been prepared to make a move for the Brazilian forward if he had not extended his stay at Real Madrid, but will now turn their attention towards other targets.
Speaking after Arsenal’s pre-season defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, Arteta said the club is still looking for the right additions to improve the team. “Well, that’s what we’re trying to do. It has to be the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very much looking forward to that,” the Arsenal manager said, as quoted by ESPN.
Arteta Addresses Squad Weaknesses and Injuries
Bruno Guimarães, who joined Arsenal from Newcastle, was introduced to the Emirates Stadium crowd before the club’s 3-2 defeat, but the team still appears to lack depth and quality on the left flank, a position where Vinicius Junior could have provided an immediate boost.
Arsenal may also look to strengthen their defence, with William Saliba expected to miss a significant period due to a back injury. Arteta’s side have conceded three goals in each of their last two pre-season friendly matches, raising concerns ahead of the new campaign. “We conceded some poor goals today in the way we competed, especially. But that’s a very collective responsibility. So we need to improve with the players that we have. And we want to improve, for sure, we want that,” Arteta said, as quoted by ESPN.
Saliba Injury Update
“Saliba is in rest mode at the moment for two weeks. He had to do almost nothing, an aggravated injury, so it’s going to take some time to heal. We know that. And as soon as we have more news, we can inform you,” he added.