As the 2025/26 Premier League season approaches, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued a sobering reminder: the road to the title will be anything but straightforward. links web site OK9.
Despite a summer spending spree that has seen the Gunners bring in the likes of Zubimendi, Madueke, Norgaard, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga — with a combined outlay of £123 million — Arteta remains grounded. The club is also set to complete the £63.4 million signing of striker Viktor Gyökeres, but the Spanish tactician is not letting optimism cloud his judgment.
With rivals such as Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea also investing heavily this summer, Arteta is fully aware of the challenges ahead.
“When you look at the current landscape of the Premier League, there are not just three or four contenders anymore. There are seven, maybe eight, even nine teams capable of going all the way. But in the end, only one will lift the trophy,” Arteta said.
“That’s why our focus has to be razor-sharp. We must control what we can – how we train, how we prepare, and how we compete every single week.”
Premier League Pressure Intensifies
According to Arteta, the increasing quality and ambition of Premier League sides has raised the bar dramatically. There’s no room for complacency, especially for a club with title ambitions.
“The competition grows stronger year after year. The demands on us are higher because we came close last season. That only makes us hungrier,” he added.
“We’ve added new faces, but improving our current squad is just as important. Pre-season is about setting the right tone – creating a culture that prepares us to hit the ground running.”
The drive within the Arsenal squad is evident. Arteta shared that from the very first day of pre-season, the mentality has been singular: link live OK 9
“The players came in saying, ‘How do we improve? What can we do to go further?’ We were close to the Premier League and Champions League titles. Now, we want to go beyond that.”
Big Summer for Premier League Giants
Elsewhere, Liverpool have been the most aggressive side in the market so far. The Reds have already splashed £267 million on major signings including Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and are reportedly close to securing Hugo Ekitike.
With the summer transfer window still open, more blockbuster moves are expected, as top-tier English clubs look to gain every possible advantage before the season kicks off.
According to projections from supercomputer BETSiE released in June, Arsenal are tipped to finish second in the 2025/26 campaign — narrowly behind reigning champions Liverpool.
As part of their pre-season tour of Asia, Arsenal are set to face AC Milan on July 23, Newcastle United on July 27, and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on July 31
