Mikel Arteta believes the 2023/24 Premier League season will be the most competitive yet - and he knows what his Arsenal side must do to wrestle the title from champions Manchester City.
Arsenal led the table for 248 days last campaign, a record for a team not to win the competition, and he is now aiming to go one step further.
“That is our ambition," Arteta told Spanish newspaper Marca. "We know the difficulty: it’s the best league in the world and next season is going to be the toughest in Premier League history. Why? It already was last year.
“I’ve been here for 22 years and I’ve never seen a competitive level like that.
"So much quality, so much organisation, so many resources, so many good coaches… and now [Mauricio] Pochettino and [Andoni] Iraola are coming.
“That’s the level and to win the Premiership you have to be the best. That’s why you have to strengthen.”
'Injuries cost us'
A lack of squad depth played a key role in Arsenal's downfall.
Unlike Man City, who on occasion could afford the luxury of leaving players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland on the bench, the Gunners struggled when players such as centre-back William Saliba were sidelined, and when they had to change their first-choice line-up due to fatigue.
"When we started to get injuries, I felt it was going to cost us," said Arteta. "The level of demand could not be maintained.
"If you want to win the Premiership against City, you have to get to April-May with all players available and at their best. And we, because of injuries, didn’t get there."
"My goal is to be the best in the world, not just on a personal level, but to be the best manager in the world for Arsenal"
Arteta has made no secret of the fact that Arsenal are looking to address that weakness this summer, but he believes he already has a winning formula in place.
"We were a good mix of experience and youth," he added. "The more experienced ones were role models for the youngsters. And then, we were lucky enough to take a generation from the academy with a lot of potential, and we were able to develop their talent so that the team has harmony. They have fun, they compete and that will lead us to win.
"My goal is to be the best in the world, not just on a personal level, but to be the best manager in the world for Arsenal, to help these players and this club to be the best. To play better than anyone else… and to be able to win."
