Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal’s current squad is unsustainable, and they’re ready for movement in the market over the coming month or so.

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 19, 2023. - Arsenal won the game 4-1. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 19, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal had a busy start to the summer, making three major acquisitions in Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz. But things have been relatively quiet in terms of outgoings so far.

Granit Xhaka joined Bayer Leverkusen for £21.5m, Pablo Mari finalised the transfer Arsenal agreed with AC Monza last summer for just under £6m, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles has departed on a free transfer.

But given one of those deals was negotiated last year and another was simply the expiry of a contract, Arsenal have effectively only agreed one sale this summer.

Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal’s current numbers are unsustainable, though he’s certainly happy with the players he has at his disposal.

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“We have 30 players here which is unsustainable, and obviously the market is still open, and things can happen – but we are prepared,” Arteta said.

“We are really happy with the squad we have at the moment; we obviously have improvements to make in terms of what we want to do in games, and we have to do that.

“Overall, I’m really pleased with the team.”

Arsenal news and gossip - LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 28: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, acknowledges fans after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on May 28, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, acknowledges fans after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on May 28, 2023. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

At the start of the window, there was plenty of speculation around various departures.

Sources suggested at least one of Folarin Balogun and Eddie Nketiah was likely to depart, Kieran Tierney was linked with Newcastle United, and Thomas Partey with Juventus and Saudi Arabia.

Others like Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe, Charlie Patino, Arthur Okonkwo, Rob Holding, Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, and Auston Trusty have also been linked with moves.

Yet only Okonkwo appears close to a transfer at the moment.

CREWE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 20: Arthur Okonkwo of Crewe Alexandra in action during the Sky Bet League Two between Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town at Mornflake Stadium on August 20, 2022 in Crewe, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
CREWE, ENGLAND: Arthur Okonkwo with Crewe Alexandra in action during the Sky Bet League Two between Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town at Mornflake Stadium on August 20, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

It’s worth keeping in mind that we’re still a while from the end of the transfer window.

Arsenal did their incoming business so early that it feels like the window must be about to close, but deadline day isn’t until Friday, September 1st.

That’s still 35 days away, which is plenty of time for a number of transfer sagas to reach their conclusions.

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