Mikel Arteta has set an ambitious target for Premier League champions Arsenal, saying he wants to establish the Gunners as the “best club in the world” and build on their return to the summit of English football.
Arsenal begin their title defence against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday, entering a season as reigning Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years.
Arteta believes the club now has an opportunity to establish a sustained period of success, particularly following Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City at the end of last season.
Having worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City before taking charge at Arsenal in 2019, Arteta said the club’s owners shared his ambition of taking Arsenal to the very top of world football.
“It’s certainly the ambition of the club and the owners to be the best club in the world,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
He said achieving that goal would require world-class facilities, a leading stadium, strong supporter backing and a squad capable of competing at the highest level.
Arteta added that Arsenal would continue developing their existing players while recruiting new talent capable of making a significant difference to the team.
The Gunners are now targeting a feat they have not achieved in nearly a century. Arsenal last won successive English league titles in the 1930s, with even Arsene Wenger’s celebrated “Invincibles” unable to retain their crown the following season.
After ending the club’s long wait for another league championship, Arteta will now be looking to turn that breakthrough into a sustained period of domestic dominance.