has dubbed ‘a very intelligent man’ after the Frenchman backed old club to lift the title this coming season.
The north Londoners fell just short of ending their 19-year wait to win the title after defending champions put together a 12-match winning run at the backend of the campaign en route to a famous treble.
Far from licking their wounds, Arsenal have brought in three new additions – , Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber – for just over £200million this summer as they .
Wenger is , telling Eurosport this week: ‘I believe we will win the championship, it is as simple as that.’
Arteta certainly hopes his old manager’s prediction comes true, though feels the Premier League title race will be even tougher this time around – particularly with Arsenal once again competing in the Champions League for the first time in six years.
Asked about Wenger’s comments in an interview with , Arteta laughed and replied: ‘Hopefully he is right! He is a very intelligent man with huge experience, so I am hoping that he is right.
‘It will be more difficult [next season] for sure, because the league is going to go to a different level again – which is already incredible.
‘And then obviously playing Champions League – which we haven’t played for many years at the club – is going to bring different demands.
‘That’s why we need a deeper squad than what we had last year and the things we have done this summer are related to that, and more quality as well for sure.’
Arsenal ended the season just five points shy of City but Arteta believes there is still plenty of room for improvement from his young team and is confident they will be competing for silverware.
He continued: ‘I think there is much more to come, and what we are trying to do is to have a team that has a very clear identity, that each day plays better, that deserves to win matches more comfortably, that enjoys playing together and that can connect with the people [fans] the way we have done it, to have the support and the atmosphere that is around the club right now.
‘And the way to do it is to recruit players with huge talent but who fit in with our culture as well and I think we have done that really, really well.
‘And then in the end it will come down to playing better every day and win, win, win and win. And at the end, we will get into April and May and we will have chances to lift trophies but that is, I think, something else.’
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