Arsenal

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta was in a relaxed mood ahead of Arsenal's trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Villa beat Arsenal in both of their games last season and those results were a key factor in why Arsenal did not win the Premier League title.

Arteta was complimentary of Villa boss Unai Emery but it was Arteta's own future which was up for discussion.

His contract expires at the end of the season but he confirmed that talks about a new deal will start once the window is closed.

Arteta said he believes that the club has an "unbelievable" future ahead of them.

The transfer window closes next week and Arsenal have been active in it, bringing in Riccardo Calafiori and selling Emile Smith Rowe.

Eddie Nketiah is in talks with Nottingham Forest about moving there, while the club have also agreed a deal in principle with Real Sociedad for midfielder Mikel Merino and Arteta says the club are prepared for a busy end to the window.

"We have to because anything can happen both ways," said the Arsenal boss. "You have to be ready and especially in the last week.

"You have to be alert and prepared because a lot of surprises can come, for many different reasons and we are prepared."

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Aston Villa (17:30 BST kick-off).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He did not give much away on the potential signing of Mikel Merino and other transfers because "you know that I cannot talk about any player that is not with us".

• On striker Eddie Nketiah possibly leaving the club: "I expect Eddie to train with us today, to be prepared for tomorrow and that's it. Whatever happens will happen if it is good for everybody."

• Aston Villa were the only team to take six points off Arsenal last season and when asked why, Arteta said: "They scored and we didn't, very simple. In two games even though we had an enormous amount of chances to do that and that was one of the big differences."

• Arteta added: "They are a really good side, really well coached. They dominate every aspect of the game, you give them space to run and they are phenomenal when they have no space and they have to find space. They are able to do that. Any set-pieces, they are at it."

• Arteta spoke about Jurrien Timber's positioning and how "he can play in [midfield], he can play in various positions and his versatility is one of his greatest strengths". He added: "Obviously we missed him for 11 months, it's great to have him back and played some quality minutes. Having that capacity in the squad to turn things around and find other things that the team need in the moment is something very valuable."

• On Declan Rice: "I think we will see him as a number six and as an eight and at his age it would be a mistake not to do that. Within the game he will have a different role in relation to the different opponent and what they do. Last year he showed that he has the ability to shift from one game to the other, sometimes in the same game and to have players like that with the shorter squad that we have is really important.”

• Bukayo Saka is one Premier League win away from 100 at the age of 22 and Arteta said: "When you look at those numbers at his age, it is very, very special, especially in the position that he plays. A rare thing to see and big credit to him."

• On last season's away form: "We have done it, now we have to show it again. We have to go there [Villa Park] with that belief, being very clear in what we want to do and what we have to do to earn the right to win the game and we will try to do that again."

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

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Mikel Arteta is due to speak to the media at Arsenal's training ground shortly.

The Gunners had five players named in the PFA Premier League team of the year and Arteta went to the awards ceremony to support them.

There is also the Mikel Merino deal that is near to completion to ask him about too.

Aston Villa did the double over Arsenal last season and were one of the main reasons the north London side were ultimately unable to keep pace with Manchester City.

If they are to go one step further this season they will need to pick up a positive result.

Come back to this page later for the key lines from Arteta, and follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences on our live page

Arsenal are on the brink of finalising a deal to allow forward Eddie Nketiah to join Nottingham Forest. (ESPN, external)

Southampton are considering an approach for Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. (Mail, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Arsenal forward Charlie Patino is close to joining Deportivo La Coruna. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest remain in talks with Arsenal over a £30m deal for striker Eddie Nketiah.

A deal has not been agreed but the 25-year-old is getting closer to ending his time at Emirates Stadium.

Forest have several striker targets, including Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez, but have progressed with a move for Nketiah.

Nketiah has spent his entire career at the Emirates apart from a half-season loan at Leeds in 2019-20.

He has scored 38 goals in 168 Arsenal appearances but made just 38 Premier League starts, having made his top-flight debut in 2018.

The forward was an unused substitute in Saturday's 2-0 win over Wolves on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Forest are also close to signing Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno on loan. The 31-year-old is behind new signing Ian Maatsen and Lucas Digne in the pecking order at Villa Park and will be allowed to leave.

In terms of outgoings the Reds are in talks with Championship side Burnley, who want to sign defender Joe Worrall.

Meanwhile, boss Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to provide an update on Danilo on Thursday, with the midfielder having seen specialists this week.

He suffered a broken ankle after six minutes of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, PA Media

Arsenal and Nottingham Forest remain in talks about a deal for Gunners forward Eddie Nketiah.

It is understood that a deal for Nketiah would be the region of £30m.

There has been interest in the England international throughout the window with Marseille pursuing a deal, while he was also monitored by Premier League sides Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.

Arsenal do not have to sell to bring players in during this window but do want to keep their spending sustainable and continue to try to work on a deal for Mikel Merino.

The Gunners sold Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham in a deal worth up to £34m, while academy product Brooke Norton-Cuffy left to join Genoa in a deal worth up to £3.5m.

There is also interest in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. Wolves made an offer of a loan with the option to sign the England international next summer, but Arsenal would prefer a permanent move for Ramsdale, who lost his place to David Raya last season.

Image source, Getty Images

Bukayo Saka has been on the winning side in 99 of his 171 Premier League games for Arsenal.

A win against Aston Villa will see him become the fourth player to win 100 games in the competition before turning 23, after Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and Phil Foden.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Arsenal's win over Wolves showed to supporters and the rest of the teams in the Premier League that they are ready to to compete for the title again.

Apart from a 20-minute period in the second half of their first game of the season, the Gunners were incredibly controlled and showed that even when Wolves were on top for that period in the second half they have the resilience to deal with it.

Mikel Arteta did not start new signing Riccardo Calafiori as he "has only just landed" and the team showed that everybody knew their jobs to the final letter.

Kai Havertz looks to have grown further into the number nine that the club need and his headed goal to put Arsenal in the lead was a "traditional" number nine goal.

Arsenal have raised funds by selling Emile Smith Rowe, and have interest from clubs in Eddie Nketiah and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

If they are able to sell Nketiah and Ramsdale and raise more cash, alongside a deal for Mikel Merino which the club are working on, they may be able to increase their depth and options in attacking areas further to keep up and challenge champions Manchester City.

Image source, Getty Images

I promise not to go on about Kai Havertz and his importance to Arsenal, but his opening goal of the campaign was the perfect example of what is positive and indeed negative about his situation - all encapsulated in one perfect moment.

As I have often said in these columns, he is among the best I have ever seen at arriving late to score, usually with a header and almost always with a one-touch finish.

Against Wolves was a classic example, but it just underlined that, if possible, the Gunners should work to get him coming from deeper more often.

Having another option up front, ahead of him, would help. To stick with Manchester City this season, it might even be a necessity.

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The PFA's Premier League Team of the Year - as voted for by players - was largely dominated by Manchester City and Arsenal once again this season.

Premier League champions Manchester City's stars included Kyle Walker, Rodri, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, meanwhile David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard all featured for the Gunners.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins were also included in the ultimate 11-player line-up, but PFA Young Player of the Year Cole Palmer didn't make the cut.

Palmer racked up 25 goals and registered 15 assists in 45 appearances during his first season with Chelsea.

Other notable omissions included Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.

Arsenal are holding out for more than £30m for 25-year-old England striker Eddie Nketiah, after rejecting a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest. (Football Insider), external

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

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

If you were to search Oleksandr Zinchenko in the hours following Arsenal's 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday, chances are you would find half of the coverage praising the Ukrainian for his performance, and half declaring his time with the Gunners as good as over.

Zinchenko, who looked rejuvenated during pre-season, is still proving to be divisive.

For some, his superior technical ability and ball-playing skills are key for Arsenal's build-up play. For others, his defensive weakness and lapses in concentration mean it is time to move on.

The reaction of fans at Emirates Stadium is telling. With barely 10 minutes gone, Zinchenko conceded a soft foul on the edge of the Wolves penalty box. Despite there being no immediate threat, the crowd were not sympathetic, and from this moment his every small mistake was met with groans and frustration.

Some of this is understandable. Competing with Manchester City means that every error comes with a heightened sense of consequence.

However, Arsenal fans are no strangers to divisive players. In the not-so-distant past, Granit Xhaka received the same treatment as Zinchenko from the crowd, culminating in the midfielder being booed off the pitch and losing the captaincy. He has since spoken about how deeply this affected him.

Much has been made of the atmosphere at the Emirates, but since Mikel Arteta's arrival the relationship between the team and the fans has been building, and is now stronger than ever.

Arsenal will need their 12th man during home games, particularly against opposition more dangerous than Wolves.

Whether Zinchenko does remain at Arsenal is still unclear, but either way, the crowd will need to understand that berating a player for every mistake is not what is needed when the pressure is on, and not what will help bring the title to north London.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

Image source, Getty Images

Is this Arsenal's season at last? Or do they need more reinforcements to challenge for the Premier League title?

"They came so close last season so I can see why people are tipping them," said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "Mikel Arteta has been talking his team up in pre-season, but also saying that there is still lots of potential to get better. Their standards will have to be so high if they are to topple Manchester City.

"They have only bought in Riccardo Calafiori, so there is still the debate around them needing a number nine."

The i's chief football writer Daniel Storey added: "Arteta likes the notion of having three or four forwards who can all interchange positions and be fluid.

"Maybe if they had a focal point number nine it would be too busy a penalty area? So if they were to buy another forward I don't think it would be a centre forward, it would be another type that could dip into space or create space for others.

"The only doubt with Kai Havertz is that he sometimes scores the chances you think he will miss and miss the ones when he should definitely score. There will be clutch moments in big games where he has to take those chances.

"He can score 15 goals but it is where those goals come. It needs to be in the big games when Arsenal are struggling to exert their dominance."

Listen to Monday Night Club in the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Wolves have submitted a proposal to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan, with an option to buy next summer. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Real Sociedad are refusing to lower their valuation of 28-year-old Spain midfielder and Gunners target Mikel Merino. (Mirror), external

Arsenal have rejected a bid from Nottingham Forest of £25m plus add-ons for striker Eddie Nketiah. (Sun), external

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

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Chris: Typical early season game. Arsenal looked good but with plenty of room for improvement. I don’t believe Zinchenko should start. He makes too many mistakes and is not a top defender. We have plenty of options!

Vince: It was less comfortable than the media reports say. Raya had to pull off at least two good saves that were nearly certain goals. Haaland or Salah, for example, would have scored. Timber's appearance provided some timely spark to Arsenal’s play - credit to Arteta for seeing how much they needed that. I can't wait to see more of him.

May: My first ever game! Great atmosphere and I loved every minute. I thought Saka was outstanding and that long-range shot was unbelievable. Hope we can win the title this year. COYG!

Wolves fans

Mike: The result was as expected I thought Sa should have done better with the first goal. We were unfortunate that Raya made an excellent save from Larsen and the second goal came following a sustained spell of pressure from Wolves. The second half performance was much better and gives us something to build on.

Paul: While not expecting a positive result, the outcome was still disappointing. The performance indicated a much larger gap between Arsenal and Wolves than I would have expected. We were never really in the game. Early days but much improvement is essential - and quickly, otherwise we will be in a relegation battle for most of the season.

Steve: We look like a Championship side with Championship manager.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Manchester United and Fulham.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-0 Wolves

• West Ham 1-2 Aston Villa