Mikel Arteta makes Arsenal summer transfer admission as Gunners plans take shape

Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal to get their summer transfer business done early - but admitted that it could be difficult to do so.

The Gunners have been able to get key targets in the through the door prior to the start of the campaign in recent seasons. Two years ago Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira and Oleksandr Zinchenko all joined up with Arteta's squad on the pre-season tour, while Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice all arrived at the Emirates Stadium prior to their training camp in America before this season.

Speaking in his final pre-match press conference before the summer transfer window opens, Arteta admitted he is keen to follow a similar pattern this time around.

"That's the ideal scenario," he said when asked if Arsenal were hopeful of getting their business done at the start of the window. "Every club wants that, we want that as coaches and for the players especially. Then for the team and for the environment. When you do that something clicks there and it’s really important because it starts to give you momentum."

The likes of Benjamin Sesko and Bruno Guimaraes have been heavily linked with moves to Arsenal this summer. However, with both players representing their nations at the Euros and Copa America respectively this summer, the prospect of getting them signed up at the beginning of the transfer window could be tricky. This is something Arteta acknowledged, stating: "But there are Euros this season and Copa America, so it might be a different summer."

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The Gunners are planning to fly to America for their pre-season tour for the third year in a row. They are currently scheduled to play Manchester United on July 28th in LA, while they will be facing Liverpool on the 31st in Philadelphia. Prior to those fixtures, they are hoping to fit in another game on the west coast of the US. Arteta will be hopeful that he can get as many of his signings as possible through the door before those games.

Arsenal are expecting to be active once again this summer despite pushing Manchester City all the way for the Premier League and reaching the Champions League quarter finals for the first time in 14 years. Arteta admitted that the club are fully aware that they cannot afford to rest on their laurels despite the progress they have made in the past few years.

"It’s something that we all know," he said when asked if he'd emphasised the need to strengthen in meetings with the board. "If we're given the choice, it's something that we all want to do. It’s not only the manager or the coach."