Mikel Arteta given Premier League title race verdict as Arsenal agreement reached

Mikel Arteta will be determined to defend the Premier League title and take another stab at the Champions League this season.

Arsenal have the chance to create history this season. Not only will Mikel Arteta be determined to defend an English top-flight title for the first time in the Gunners' history since 1935, but he'll also want to finally get his hands on the Champions League trophy.

Speaking recently to club media, without giving away too much, the Spaniard outlined his plan to reach new heights. Arteta said: "We have achieved something that is so big, and now we have the ambition to go and attack the next target."

The Arsenal boss added: "When I say we are different now, I mean that as a team and as a club, we have dealt with a lot of things. We have dealt with being very close in the past and not doing it, and now we have to deal with winning.

"So we know what we have to do to win, and we know where the levels are. A lot of things went in a really difficult way for us last year, and we still managed to perform at a really high level.

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"So, we are there and now we have to prove that we belong there and even higher. That requires something entirely different. I feel refreshed and ready to go again after the summer – my energy is back to the highest level."

Tom Canton

Well, Arsenal do look good after battering Manchester City in the FA Community Shield, don’t they? It seems mad that 24 hours before the trip to Cardiff, there was so much concern about what you would read online.

Other clubs will certainly have taken note that this is an Arsenal team that means business. The transfer business has not fulfilled everything that the Gunners might have wanted to see come in, but when you’ve won the title, improving on the best is very hard.

But with both Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, they appear to have done it somehow. The Greek winger looks incredible, and the Brazilian's impact will be truly felt as the season goes forward.

However, the loss of William Saliba is a big blow, and they need to sign defensive reinforcements as a result. Arsenal are expected to be active in the days that remain, but looking at the squad on the weekend, frankly, it does still look incredibly strong.

Prediction: 1st

Jake Stokes

Although it's only one game and there's a lot of football still to be played over the next nine months, Arsenal were superb in the Community Shield, and I struggle to see how they don't win the Premier League again. I was really impressed by how the Gunners stormed past Manchester City.

They looked sharp, confident, and full of quality. Many teams over the years have been guilty of taking their foot off the pedal after winning the English top-flight, but Arsenal seem to have reached another level.

It's like they have been freed from their shackles. Having overcome such a big hurdle after years of torment and misery, it seems they have realised just how good they are, and they are relishing the honour of being champions, the favourites, the big dogs, rather than feeling the pressure of retaining their crown.

I'm certain the Gunners will cruise to Premier League glory, even if they don't sign a world-class left-sided forward before the end of the transfer window. As it stands, they look streets ahead in terms of confidence, quality, experience, and tactical security.

That said, however, I don't expect Arsenal to win the Champions League. In order to do so, I think the Gunners do need that world-class left-sided winger who can single-handedly decide ties, someone like Vinicius Jr or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Of course, neither are available, so Arteta needs to roll the dice on Bradley Barcola or Kenan Yıldız. Dare I say Marcus Rashford or Rafael Leao...?

Ryan Taylor

I feel much more confident about Arsenal retaining the Premier League title after the Community Shield.

I actually thought Manchester City would benefit from fresh blood and ideas under Enzo Maresca but it could prove to be a complicated season for City.

Chelsea look stronger and have no European football to contend with while Liverpool will improve under Andoni Iraola, however, they still look short of quality in certain areas.

Arsenal remain strong across the board and if they add more signings, they will take some stopping.

I'm just a bit tentative about their transfer business because it feels like some major movement could still happen regarding an outgoing player.

Arsenal's first six games are tough but they still have the ability to come out of those matches in good stead.

Injuries may ultimately dictate how this season goes because a number of their top players - not least the absent William Saliba - were playing through the pain barrier last term.

It's going to be a slog but I still think they are head and shoulders above the other Big Six sides at this moment.

Kasra Moradi

Arteta could not have asked for better conditions to launch a Premier League title defence this season. At the risk of tempting fate, Arsenal boast the most complete and injury-proof squad, and now have the added swagger and confidence of being crowned champions.

That goes a long way in striking fear into opponents and building an aura, just as Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United sides and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea managed to do in the past.

Crucially, the other top English clubs all seem to be undergoing something of a rebuild this season. While the likes of Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola, Enzo Maresca and Roberto De Zerbi look to fine-tune their teams, Arteta already knows he has a squad built to withstand the pressures of a title race and, most importantly, win.

With the exception of William Saliba, who is set for a lengthy injury absence, the Gunners boss appears to have a fully fit team at his disposal in the early months of the season.

His side are undoubtedly favourites to win the league. But to go one step further than last season and aim for an unprecedented treble, he needs help from Andrea Berta in the final two weeks of the transfer window.

In order to win the Champions League, the Gunners need to bring in a versatile defender and a world class forward - preferably Julian Alvarez, Bradley Barcola or Kenan Yildiz.