'100 per cent ticked' - Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal were 'ambitious' in transfer market despite replacing trio of departed forwards with only Christos Tzolis

Arsenal raised eyebrows across the Premier League during the summer window by allowing Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli to depart the club. Trossard moved to Besiktas for £17.1m, Jesus joined Barcelona for £8.5m, and Martinelli made a big-money £60m switch to Al-Hilal. Despite sanctioning the exits of two natural left wingers and a central striker, the Gunners' only direct attacking reinforcement was Christos Tzolis, who arrived from Club Brugge in a £34m deal. The summer reshuffle leaves Arteta relying on Tzolis and Eberechi Eze to provide width on the left, while Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, and Mikel Merino represent his primary central options.

Responding to questions about whether he regrets the thin nature of his squad, Arteta was defiant. 'No. The selling of players can come from different aspects as well. It's not always the same one. That's part of the responsibility we have at the football club. I understand the point of view, but we have to understand the amount of minutes those players played and the ones that were injured, especially in the first six months. Then the data shows something completely different, but it is what it is. This is what we have and we already have some very good players.'

The departure of Martinelli was particularly poignant for the Emirates faithful, given his seven-year stint in North London. Arteta highlighted that the decision to sell was based partly on past availability, noting that Gabriel Jesus only returned in December after an 11-month ACL layoff. While Trossard and Martinelli had better fitness records, both missed two league games through injury during the first half of last season. Trossard managed 1,049 league minutes in that period compared to Martinelli's 535, with those intermittent starts ultimately influencing the club's decision to refresh the frontline.

'With Gabi, I have gratitude. It's been a pleasure to work with him and be part of his journey,' Arteta said. 'The Gabi I met and the one that just left had a huge transformation both personally and professionally. The impact he had for the club, his ambition, his love for the game and the way he has helped us to grow and achieve our goals, he has been a critical player. The story ends, and we wish him all the best in a different one.'

Some sections of the Arsenal support have voiced frustration, recalling Arteta's promise after the Champions League final that the club would be 'very ambitious, fast and smart' in the market. When asked if the club had actually delivered on those specific promises given the lack of late incomings, Arteta remained steadfast in his belief that the board supported his vision.

Asked whether all those criteria were 'ticked', he said: '100 per cent ticked. The outcome after can be different to what you expect, but the intention was certainly there, which is what I value the most.'

Heading into the London derby, Arteta provided updates on several key players. Bruno Guimaraes is a doubt after missing training sessions, though the outlook is cautiously optimistic. Arteta noted: 'He had a knock against Villa and he's been assessed. He will probably be okay for training tomorrow.'

'It was more precaution than anything else to bring Mosquera off against Aston Villa. We will have to see how he feels in the session tomorrow. Jurrien is in really good condition. He's been on the pitch for a few weeks and training with us, so he's in a good place. We will decide tomorrow after training if he is available,' Arteta added.