Arsenal

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game at home to Fulham (19:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta confirmed Bukayo Saka has returned from injury, is "ready to go" and in contention to start on Tuesday: "All the careful things are already done so now it's about putting him in the grass in the right moments. We worked to all the deadlines. He is really pushing - we had to hold him back."

• He added that Riccardo Califiori suffered a "really unfortunate" knee injury while playing for Italy. He added the injury "could have been much worse" and will be "hopefully a matter of weeks" but Arsenal will "have to see how the injury evolves".

• Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber has suffered "quite badly" with an illness but "has felt much better in the last few days" and is available.

• On what Saka's return promises for Arsenal: "Bukayo is a massive weapon that we have. We know the impact he has in the team and how important his role and contribution is to our success. It's great to have him back again."

• On the arrival of Andrea Berta as sporting director: "Big addition to the club. It's about building now that chemistry and belief. We are all very excited to have him. He is a very honest and straightforward person. He has a very clear vision of what he wants to do. He was so willing to join us, which is positive. He had many other possibilities but has chosen to come to us"

• On returning from the international break: "We had a good time to reflect and put ourselves in a really good position to go for the most exciting part of the season. The preparation is to be better than Fulham and beat them. If we do that, we will start to build a momentum that will help us in both competitions."

• When asked about Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring on his England debut against Albania, Arteta said: "Great moment. We are all so happy for him. A very special week for him."

Follow all of Monday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Arsenal will travel to Asia as part of their 2025-26 pre-season tour and face rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong on Thursday, 31 July.

The Gunners, who have not been to the continent since 2012, will kick off at the new Kai Tak Stadium at 11:30 BST.

Managing director Richard Garlick said: "Everyone at Arsenal is excited to be visiting Hong Kong in July. It's great to be back with our men's first-team squad after 13 years, and gives us the opportunity to meet so many of our fantastic supporters in the region again.

"Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters, and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations."

Arsenal could be a possible destination for Wolves striker Matheus Cunha, who has a £62.5m release clause, as new Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta helped sign the forward for Atletico Madrid in 2021. (Mail), external

Berta has also been a long-term admirer of Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres and the 26-year-old Sweden forward is a prominent candidate as Arsenal look to bolster their attacking options. (Athletic - subscription required), external

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We asked you what Andrea Berta's top priority should be when he becomes Arsenal's sporting director.

Here are some of your comments:

Neil: It has got to be getting a proper number nine through the door this summer. Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres - in that order.

Guy: First objective has to be to clear out a few players who aren't good enough. That should free up the funds to buy some quality - selling Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko. We are all aware that we need quality in attack - and know other clubs know this as well so will raise the prices.

Logan: I understand the appeal of making a big statement attacking signing. But for the continuance of the project we are doing, he has to look at committing key players to long-term contracts. I would start with William Saliba - he is arguably the best defender in the world, and will be for the next decade. It would also make a sale for Gabriel more expensive if anyone was to come in for him in summer.

James: Getting Buakyo Saka on a long-term contract.

Kyle: There should be only one objective... buy a striker! If you spend £100m, fine. Just get the 25-goal-a-season striker we've needed for years.

Peter: Berta should bring in a world-class striker and a new goalkeeper as back-up for David Raya.

During his time in the Spanish capital, Andrea Berta was instrumental in signings such as Rodri, Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak for Atletico Madrid.

So, when he arrives, what's his first objective Arsenal fans?

You can only have one. Is it a contract - if so, who? Is it a signing? If so, we want a name. Is it a player sale? If so, who goes?

You get one first objective. Send it here

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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There are a few immediate issues he has to deal with.

The main and most obvious task is to ensure that Arsenal bring in a much-needed forward. The Gunners have suffered key injuries to key attackers this season and have not brought in a forward for two transfer windows in a row.

Kai Havertz has done excellently in filling that void but at times Arsenal's need for a natural goalscorer has been obvious.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has long been monitored, while Newcastle forward Alexander Isak is also being linked with a move to north London.

However, Eddie Howe's Magpies are in the mix for the Champions League places, making a deal for Isak expensive and more difficult to do.

There is also an argument that Arteta's side could do with a player who has some flair and the ability to make something happen when they play against teams that sit in a low block against them in the Premier League.

It's not only incomings that Berta will need to address. It's a big summer for the club with key players Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes entering the last two years of their contracts.

Berta will need to make sure that those players are locked down so that Arteta can continue to build on the impressive work he has done with the team.

There are also players who need to be moved on. Oleksandr Zinchenko has dropped further down the pecking order after the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the Gunners were willing to let him go in January if they received the right offer.

It is an exciting project for any sporting director to come into but with the Gunners challenging for silverware in recent seasons, this summer is not something that they can afford to get wrong.

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We took a look at the metrics around Arsenal's campaign (you can find the data lower down this page) and asked for your views on the season generally. Has it been as bad as it has been portrayed on times? Or are the Gunners actually well placed?

Here are some of your comments:

Chris: In the face of adversity, questionable red cards (not that they weren't red but other teams had different treatment for the same errors) and added to serious injuries to key players - the factors have proved to be too damaging. I for one am proud at how the team, the manager and the back room staff have held their heads high and fought every battle placed in front of them. A Liverpool total collapse is unlikely but I do believe we will be closer than 12 points by the season end. Well played boys, you've done us proud in the Premier League. Now let's get the job done in the Champions League.

Alan: No question that Arsenal are a force in the Premier League, but a failure in recruitment and solid back up for the inevitable injuries has meant that the club will not get the titles and cups it richly deserves. This must be a lesson for next season and if learned then Arsenal will emerge triumphant.

Rachel: For the past few seasons there's been some reason why Arsenal have missed out, whether it's injuries, losing games we shouldn't have lost, etc. It would be great to face next season with a full and complete squad and no excuses. Then we can truly measure the progress we have made.

Keith: You can reflect all you like but second best will always be second best. Any Arsenal fan can see the improvement but we also see the FA Cup defeats last season and this to realise what second best is. Please buy a striker/goalscorer/forward or two and convert possession into goals.

Ifeanyi: Missed opportunity in terms of the league. It will be a major miracle if Arsenal win the Champions League.

Graham: Finish above Spurs, qualify for Europe, win Premier League, win FA Cup, win League Cup. The five targets. These are my hopes each season. As long as the first two are achieved I'll be reasonably happy.

Liverpool will rival Arsenal for the signature of Frankfurt's 22-year-old French striker Hugo Ekitike during the summer transfer window. (Mirror), external

Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Liverpool are interested in Udinese and Italy striker Lorenzo Lucca, 24. (Messaggero Veneto, in Italian), external

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Earlier this week, BBC Sport asked its fan writers to name a player who has to step up to the plate late in this season and do that bit more.

Arsenal supporter Laura pointed to Gabriel Martinelli, who has probably not done as well as people would have hoped or expected him to in recent seasons, though he has proved to be a valuable player.

We put that to our pundit and former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha:

It doesn't feel like "Martinelli will be playing for his future" in the remaining games to me because Arsenal play their best football when he occupies that left side and Bukayo Saka is on the opposite wing.

In the 2022-23 season he scored 15 goals in 36 games, but aside from that campaign, the number of goals and assists he has produced have been very similar in each season.

There is potential for him to improve and get his numbers closer to that prominent season, but I don't believe that is the standard for him. That output does not feel like the real version of him and is beginning to look like more of an outlier in his statistics.

Martinelli can certainly step up to improve on the season he is having so far and he is very good at doing his role for Arsenal, so I am sure he – like everyone else – would want to score more goals.

The most important thing is that Mikel Arteta puts him out there because he trusts him. He has trusted him in big games in the past and he will trust him again.

It could be a good option for Arsenal to switch him to playing up top in the absence of a forward, but I am not sure it would be any different to what they are trying now with Mikel Merino or what Leandro Trossard can offer.

It is good that Arteta has these options though, and against Real Madrid it could question them in different ways as all three of those players have the ability to stretch the game. But it is obviously not as simple as saying 'go and play up there.'

Merino, Trossard and Martinelli all have different traits that will suit different games and there are the nuances of partnerships that have to be considered.

During the run-in, it is about keeping Martinelli healthy so he can find his form. If he can do that, then he will be a huge asset to Arsenal like he has been in previous seasons.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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Premier League clubs have agreed the dates for the summer transfer window.

The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the Fifa Club World Cup.

It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September.

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Earlier on Thursday, some Arsenal fans contacted us to defend the club's performances this season.

While the Gunners have been criticised for their Premier League title pursuit falling away in recent weeks, their view is that Mikel Arteta deserves praise for keeping the club second and in the Champions League.

So, what's the truth?

We've looked at Arsenal's situation over the past decade to decide.

League position

Let's not rewrite history. For most of the past 10 years, Arsenal would have snapped your hand off for second with nine games to go.

Before their re-emergence in 2022-23, it had been five seasons in the doldrums of the race for the Europa League and not a sniff of the title.

Clearly, being the closest challenger to the league leaders is worthy of respect.

And yet, compared with the past two seasons, Arsenal are nowhere.

Two years ago at this stage they were first, 19 points better off than currently, while last season they were two points off the top.

It is this relative decline that has caused such angst.

Goals – and injuries

Defenders of Arteta point to mitigating factors around injuries. The lengthy losses at various stages of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have caused real damage.

Despite barely fielding their first-choice attackers, Arsenal have scored 53 goals, fourth-most in the Premier League (two fewer than second) and have the fifth-best conversion rate. Not stellar numbers but ones that suggest they are perhaps overperforming.

However, the point remains that they did not ensure adequate cover, either in the summer or in January, for such injury issues, and recent failures against Nottingham Forest and West Ham have arguably cost them their shot at the Premier League.

It is unrealistic to expect to win the title with Mikel Merino up front.

Points

Fifty-eight points is enough for a four-point cushion in second place. This season.

That amount merely speaks to the dearth of quality at the top of the Premier League as over the past decade, no second-placed team has had fewer points after 29 games.

Take the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons. Those Arsenal sides had three more points than the current team but were marooned in fifth place.

With Manchester City's unexpected drop-off, miserable seasons for Manchester United and Tottenham, and the continued transition period for Chelsea, the usual competition for Arsenal is not there.

It is the missed opportunity to cash in that so infuriates.

Champions League mitigation

In Europe, Arsenal have been excellent and marched smoothly into the quarter-finals.

Of course, the Champions League has been expanded, meaning extra games, more travel and mileage into their legs (although progress was so serene, Arteta could rest players for the final group game).

The Gunners do deserve great credit for their performances. After all, it is really not so long ago that they were scrambling around unsuccessfully in the latter stages of the Europa League or, as in 2022-23, not playing in Europe at all.

They have outlasted both Liverpool and Manchester City this season and are genuine contenders to win it.

The legitimate fear is who awaits in April – and 15-time winners Real Madrid present a massive stumbling block.

Beat them though, and this season moves closer to being the most special yet.

What do you think? Creditworthy season or a huge missed opportunity?

Tell us here

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We asked for your views on what might be slipping under the radar at Emirates Stadium.

Here are some of your comments:

Sam: The fact that despite all the injuries, suspensions and problems faced we are still second - albeit 12 points back - in the Premier League and in the Champions League quarter-finals. Yet there is criticism from the media and even some Arsenal fans towards the club and Arteta when teams with similar situations are experiencing much worse struggles.

Mike: Simply that we are back where we should be, competing with the best. Not every team can win everything every year, but we are on the verge and it's being ruined by people having a go because we've lost a few games, are going through an injury crisis while another team is having an incredible season. Perspective is needed.

Nigel: We seem to be talking a lot about the need for a striker but this summer we could end up losing Jorginho and Thomas Partey - two highly experienced and reliable players that will seriously deplete the team as there are no natural replacements currently.

Denis: Would love to see Gabriel Martinelli in a striker role. He has the pace for long balls and moves well inside the box. Mikel Arteta has to try him in that position. Nothing to lose - everything to gain.

Jack: How impressive of a season Jurrien Timber is having. He has gone under the radar because of the sudden surge of Lewis-Skelly at left-back, but to have played 40 games coming off the injury he had and not once looking out of place is very impressive.

Fred: The number of quality youngsters coming through our academy is a positive. The fact we are still competing for big trophies with so many crucial injuries is positive. Competing for Premier League crown every season is the best performance for over a decade and it is a good sign. It has set us up nicely for bigger things. Just need patience.

Newcastle have paused contract talks with Arsenal and Liverpool target Alexander Isak after the Sweden striker, 25, turned down their initial offer. (Caught Offside), external

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Although the Premier League challenge has spluttered recently, Arsenal are still in the Champions League hunt, and face Real Madrid in the last eight.

Last week, you put your questions to our news reporter Alex Howell, but what else have you spotted at Arsenal?

Is there something slipping under the radar? What is the one thing - good or bad - nobody is talking about?

Let us know here

Arsenal are set to offer 27-year-old centre-back Gabriel a new deal to deter interest from Saudi Arabia. (Football Insider), external

Real Madrid are interested in Gabriel's Gunners centre-back partner William Saliba. (Mirror), external

Barcelona's buy-back clause with Sporting for 25-year-old Portugal winger Francisco Trincao - who has been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United - ended in June 2024. (Record - in Portuguese), external

Meanwhile, the Gunners have joined Liverpool in the race to sign 19-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax. (Team talk), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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