Pep Guardiola: Signings have taken Arsenal to 'next level' | Arteta: We must improve

Hello, James. What did the Arsenal manager have to say today? Good afternoon. He had quite a bit to say, actually, today, but ultimately he's excited. Feedback is positive from the gallery. Excited for the challenge that he's got facing Manchester City on Sunday, the Community Shield. The challenge is Arsenal side are fully prepared for and ready for. He knows it's going to be tough and it certainly will be. And the last 16 games have only won once. That did come in an FA Cup semi-final victory at Wembley Stadium. Who'd be hoping in that's a good omen. But we did touch early on upon the article Aaron Ramsdale put out in the Players' Tribune. It was a really powerful piece where he talked about some very difficult subjects close to his heart. He wants to ensure that football becomes more inclusive to all in society, particularly his brother, Ollie, who's gay. He wants him to feel safe going to football. And he has dreams and aspirations of celebrating on the Emirates Stadium pitch with his brother, lifting a trophy in that matter. And I spoke to Mikael Teta about it. And quite simply, the Arsenal manager is incredibly proud of his goalkeeper. I think the article was great. Very open, very transparent. I think he expressed what what he feels about the topics that he discussed. And I think he was very brave to do it the way he did it. He spoke about you at one point, how he's how you supported him during a really difficult time last season when his wife had a miscarriage. How's that feel reading those words from a player of yours? And is that maybe an area of your job that people forget about that personal touch? Well, we cannot forget because at the end, we're dealing with people, with human beings, and we are responsible to manage a lot of decisions with the players and things that can affect their lives. So we have a big responsibility there. And whenever we can, obviously, we have to support and be close to them because I know how much it means, not only me, but the clubs, his teammates, everybody that is supportive of things when they need to. So Arsenal have spent upwards of 200 million pounds this summer. It's been a busy one for them. Any news of future activity from Arteta today, James? It's funny you're asking that, really. It seems funny doing the amount of press conferences of Mikael Teta that I do. You get nothing out of the Arsenal boss. He likes to keep his cards close to his chest, does Mikael Arteta. But look, Jurjen Timber, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice all come in very early on in the transfer window. But one thing that Arteta mentioned a week ago was the size of the Arsenal squad. He described it as unsustainable. There were 30 first team players in that squad. Auston Trusty left the club yesterday to join Sheffield United and the club are working hard to reduce those numbers. And he was asked about that. He was asked about a potential incoming in David Rea. This is what he said. We are working on a few things. We have to make a few decisions. There's still time to do that. We are very happy with the squad that we have. That's for sure. But as well, we have to make sure that we can have and share the minutes in the right way for the team to have a healthy competition within the squad. And we are working on that. Is there an optimum number of players you want in the squad? Optimal people and optimal players, that's what I want. Optimal people, optimal players is what he said. He was asked about David Rea later on, and he just quickly snubbed that question, as he as he always does. They like to do their business behind closed doors as much as they can. But look, it's pretty obvious that they're looking at still improving the squad. It's obvious that Mikel Teta wants competition for all his places within his team. Now, if you read the article on Aaron Ramsdale, you can see how headstrong he is. So if David Rea does come in to offer competition for his place, it might well spur the Arsenal keeper on to even go to an even better level moving forward. But players will have to leave the club probably first before they bring in some new faces. The likes of Nicola Pepe and Albert Sambi, La Conga link to move away from the club. Expect those decisions to be made very soon. But building up to the end of the transfer window. Thank you, James. Well, Pep Guardiola has been talking up Arsenal ahead of Sunday's Community Shield meeting. He reckons Arsenal are in a better place physically than his Manchester City. And Guardiola has also claimed his side's preseason tour to Asia has taken its toll and was not the ideal preparation. So normally when you won the title that we won, they give you the chance to fight for a new one, especially this Community Shield. The last three years we played but against Sevilla and in next week's and in Saudi Arabia in the wintertime. So give you opportunity to play it once we are there. Of course, we are going to try. Now know how we are right now, the situation that we are. So we finish two weeks later than Arsenal. We start two weeks later than Arsenal. So we are not in the best, best way. Always we we struggle to restart every season. But it's a final. Hopefully our mentality can help us to be there and and compete like we have to compete against them and try to win the title. Well, Pep Guardiola has confirmed RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Guardiola is having his Manchester City medical today. The clubs have agreed a 77.6 million pound fee for the Croatia defender. But that's not all. Guardiola has again stressed his desire to fight to keep Karl Walker and Bernardo Silva at the club. Well, regarding Guardiola, what a beautiful surname he has. Regarding him, he's doing a medical test. So everybody knows that he's here and hopefully we can finish the deal in the next hours, next days. And and regarding Kyle and and Bernardo, what could I say? So they are so important player for us. We want him, yes, yes or yes. We are going to do everything to. Of course, he is not like Gundo, like finish the contract. He has contract. So, but we want him to stay because he want to stay. And yeah, we will do everything. Just replace these two players. It's so, so difficult. We lost two incredible players for us like Ilkay and Riyad like in the last seasons were massively important, incredible goals, assists and personalities in the biggest stages and big important games. And lose Kyle and Bernardo will be so difficult. And that's why we are going to to to to do everything to, you know, to to to keep them and because they want, you know, because they want really, really really, really be here.