VIDEO: 'Not part of our group yet' - Mikel Arteta all smiles as he drops hint on Arsenal's drawn-out transfer pursuit of €70m+ Viktor Gyokeres

Arteta refused to provide much information on the club's pursuit of Gyokeres amid rumours that Manchester United could hijack the move at the last moment after agreeing to match Sporting CP's €70 million (£60.6m/$81.4m) demands up front. He did, though, tellingly say the attacker was not part of the squad "yet".

When asked about Gyokeres' arrival, the Spanish coach said: "I cannot comment on any player who is not part of our group yet. When we have something concrete to offer in any case to any player, we will do that."

Arteta also revealed that the Gunners are still active in the transfer market as he added: "There’s still a long time in the window, and we are still seeking. In terms of numbers, we are short and we have to improve the depth and quality of the squad. We are constantly looking in the market. Until that happens, focus on the players we have and focus on them and I’m very pleased with what I have seen in the last 10-15 days."

The English side will play their first pre-season friendly of their Asia tour on Wednesday as they take on Serie A giants AC Milan. After that they have games against domestic rivals Newcastle and Tottenham.