‘Nail it’ - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides summer transfer recruitment update to compete with Man City

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said the club needs to ‘nail’ their recruitment this summer. The Gunners have had an impressive season in the Premier League but are set to be pipped by Manchester City to the title.

They are four points behind Pep Guardiola’s side, who have a game in-hand still, with only two games left of the campaign to play against Nottingham Forest away this weekend and Wolves at home on the final day. Despite the dissappointment of not finishing top, they will be back in the Champions League which will surely enhance their chances of signing a better calibre of player in the next window.

Arsenal need more competition and depth in their squad and that has been evident over the past couple of months when a few of their key players have been injured. City have two top quality starting XI’s at their disposal and the Gunners don’t have as many strong options which has proved to be the difference.

Speaking ahead of their next match against Forest, Arteta has provided this update on transfer plans: “When you get closer to the top, the margins are smaller. What makes you win or lose is minimal - and it changes.

“It’s a penalty that goes in or out and then the season changes in that moment. It’s having three or four injuries or having a fully-fit squad in the key moments defines the season. What we have ahead of us next summer is extremely important and we have to absolutely nail it.”

Asked about the challenge of Arsenal returning to the Champions League next term, he said: “The demands will be higher. We have to start and live with those standards, improve and be smarter. That doesn’t just mean signing players. It’s to improve our players.

“There are players we haven’t had the best out of this season. It’s our job to improve them because there are a few players who haven’t had the minutes or the performances and we have to seek for those players to give us a different edge. It’s not only about signing players. It’s about resources, staff and improving certain things that can be done better, more efficiently or smarter.”