Mikel Arteta has been explaining why Arsenal spent a club record £145 million ($201m) on new recruits during the summer transfer window, with the Gunners boss conceding that there was need for "substantial change" at Emirates Stadium.
Little return has been delivered on that investment as yet, with a pointless and goalless start made to the new Premier League season, but the expectation is that a reversal in fortune will be enjoyed once key men are fit and fresh faces have found their feet.
Arteta needs that to be the case, as questions continue to be asked of his future, and the Spaniard believes the right approach has been taken when it comes to delivering immediate and long-term success.
What has been said?
Explaining the club's recruitment strategy in Arsenal's official matchday programme, Arteta has said: "In recent years, and what we have inherited, the fact that we don’t play in Europe, [we] needed a substantial change.
"We want a club that is sustainable, that is stable financially but the same time can compete at the highest level, because we know the demands for our club is to be the best. We have to do that.
"On top of that, we needed to recruit in a lot of positions. In order to do that, we had to spread the money and how it was spent wisely.
"Then we had to be very specific with the qualities, the targets we want that can reach the potential that is required at that level with the competition we have with other teams, to reach that [aim].
“The whole strategy was around that, making those decisions as quickly as possible that could give us big margins of improvement in a short period of time."
Arteta added on the challenges that he faces: "That’s the complexity in this industry.
"We are trying to build a medium to long-term project, which needs immediate results. That only happens in elite sport and most importantly in football. We have to embrace that challenge. It is what it is.
"We cannot change that and we don’t want to change that, because we want results right now. That’s what we have to put on top of the players’ heads. It has to happen now and it has to keep improving in the medium and long term, and that’s it."
Can Arsenal turn the corner?
The Gunners enjoyed a productive summer window as they completed deals for Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Odegaard, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
A testing start to the new season has still been endured, with Arteta's side stuck at the foot of the Premier League table.
An opportunity to become upwardly mobile will present itself when playing host to Norwich on Saturday - another side still looking for their first points of 2021-22.
Arteta has been boosted ahead of that contest by the news that White is back in contention after testing positive for Covid-19, while Thomas Partey and Gabriel Magalhaes are also in line for recalls after shaking off untimely injuries.
Further reading
- Arsenal chief claims 'most exciting' transfer strategy
- Arsenal warned of January risk for Lacazette & Aubameyang
- Omari Hutchinson: Arsenal's teenage sensation who wowed Pele