Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal may lose their best players if they’re unable to offer them the same ‘level’ as they’re offered elsewhere but the Spaniard insists the club hold the power in negotiations.
The Gunners are looking to qualify for the for the first time in five years this season and they hold the advantage over rivals Tottenham with two matches to play.
That could prove pivotal to the club’s future and Arteta is certainly convinced of the direction the club is going in after he committed to a new long-term deal at the Emirates.
But the case remains that the club are no longer competing for major honours and they do not have the financial resources to compete with the likes of , , Liverpool and .
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard have all seen their values increase in the last 12 months after an impressive season with the Gunners.
And though Arteta says it remains the club’s position to keep their best players, he admits it’s a reality the club has to face that they cannot compete with every other club in the league.
‘What we want to do is improve the team, the squad. Obviously we know that there is not a player that doesn’t have a margin to improve or evolve in his way of playing or career,’ said Arteta.
‘So we want to retain our best players for sure, and we want to add into that more quality and depth to be more competitive.
‘What we have to be really prepared (for) is when we are going to do that [sell players] and why are we going to do that. We can control those timings and we have the decision making on when is the right time to do it, and be prepared for that.
‘So sometimes it is negative because you cannot offer the same competition level as they have been offered, or because you think it is the right moment to make a move. But in principle we want to maintain our best players and keep them and get better.’
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