Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the Premier League champions are planning further additions this summer and will not “sit still” as they seek to strengthen competition within their squad.
Arteta guided Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years last season and is now focused on improving and evolving his team ahead of their title defence.
The Gunners have already signed goalkeeper Illan Meslier and forward Christos Tzolis, while defender Piero Hincapie’s loan move has been made permanent.
Arsenal are also expected to complete a deal for Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. They have additionally been linked with Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior.
“We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s 4-1 pre-season victory against Girona.
“We want to get better like anybody else, and you can see the transfer market and our opponents… We won’t sit still and we are very ambitious with what we are doing.
“The margins are very small. Because we want to get better and the level is going to increase. We need to increase the competition internally. We need to make sure we identify the things that we don’t have in the team.”
Arsenal will face Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, 16 August, before beginning their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at home against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday, 21 August.
Tzolis scores on Arsenal debut
Tzolis made an immediate impression on his first appearance for Arsenal, scoring in the club’s opening pre-season match against Girona.
The Greece international joined from Belgian side Club Brugge in a £34m transfer and has been brought in to replace Leandro Trossard following the forward’s move to Besiktas.
Tzolis, 24, put Arsenal 2-0 ahead in the 30th minute after evading Arnau Martinez and sending a low shot into the bottom corner with the help of a slight deflection.
His goal came 14 minutes after Kai Havertz had opened the scoring for Arteta’s side.
Sixteen-year-old Max Dowman supplied the pass for Havertz, who remained composed to finish when presented with a one-on-one opportunity against Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Girona reduced the deficit four minutes into the second half when Martinez rose highest to score from a corner.
Dowman restored Arsenal’s two-goal advantage three minutes later, before Gabriel Jesus completed a rapid sequence of scoring by making it three goals in five minutes and putting the Gunners 4-1 ahead.
Arteta selected a strong starting line-up in Spain, with Viktor Gyokeres, Havertz and Hincapie each playing 30 minutes after returning from the World Cup.
Tzolis scored 43 goals and supplied 45 assists in 108 appearances for Club Brugge before moving to north London.
Arsenal’s second pre-season fixture will take place in Dublin on 5 August, when they meet Real Betis at the Aviva Stadium.
