Arteta: “We cannot be a team that has to sell his best player”

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has warned that the club should never have to sell their best players just to raise transfer funds to improve the team.

The summer transfer window is expected to open once the league season concludes later this month and the head coach’s comments offers some indication of how the Gunners’ will perform in the market.

Taking into consideration the expected financial limitations from the coronavirus pandemic as well as the club’s continued absence from the Champions League, some believe the Gunners will have to sell some of their top stars in order to improve the team.

However, speaking to the media, Arteta dismissed this and said: “We cannot be a team that has to sell his best player to try to bring in and improve our squad, that’s for sure.”

Currently, the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi have all been linked with moves away from the club.

Meanwhile, other rumours suggest former academy player Ainsley Maitland-Niles is hoping to switch clubs after switching agents to Aidy Ward.

“We don’t know how the market is going to be. We have seen different things,” Arteta said. “The way that Chelsea is dealing with the market is different to the rest at the moment, but Bayern Munich as well they’ve have been really aggressive.”

“Obviously we are putting different plans together to see what we are going to be able to do. At the moment the uncertainty is still big. The way we are going to finish the season will dictate a lot of things financially as well. We have to be a bit patient and see what happens.”