Mikel Arteta drops huge hint on more new signings before transfer deadline

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal remain “really active” in the transfer window and are “open” to doing more business before it shuts on September 1.

The Gunners have already splashed out over £100million on new recruits this summer, bringing in the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Arsenal have sold players too, with Bernd Leno joining Fulham for around £8m, but more could leave in the coming weeks. Hector Bellerin, Lucas Torreira and Pablo Mari are among those likely to go and Arteta says Arsenal are not done in the market yet.

“We are really active as you can see with incomings and outgoings,” he told reporters before Friday night’s Premier League curtain-raiser against Crystal Palace. “Everything is still open, it’s a long window, a lot has happened.

“It’s incredible how much business the clubs have done across the Premier League and it shows how competitive it is and this season is not going to stop that.

“Players are going to have the need to leave, some others to move and everything is open still. It’s always been my team, because these are our players and always we have had the intention to get the best out of them.

“It’s true that obviously we have trimmed the squad and changed the squad massively in the last two windows especially, and you feel that now the players we have are more specific and better for the way we want to play basically.”

As well as bringing in new signings, Arsenal have made Norway midfielder Martin Odegaard their new club captain for the upcoming season.

“This season we had the opportunity to do it in the way that I believe could work,” Arteta said. “Martin has been with us for 18 months, and in my opinion is a player who represents the values of this football club in the perfect way.

“He’s well respected by everybody around the team, he’s admired by all the staff, he has the experience even though he’s 23, he has done it for the national team.

“He has a passion about the game that he promotes every single day around the club and the way he plays. So I’m really happy to have someone like him and he’s on board.

“He’s enjoying that responsibility and he will need support, but for sure it’s a huge thing for him as well.”