Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal will stand by young gunners regardless of finish
The Gunners are battling Tottenham for a Champions League spot on the final day.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will stick by their young players (Nick Potts/PA)
Mikel Arteta plans to stand by Arsenal’s kids even if they miss out on Champions League football this weekend.
The Gunners go into the final day of the Premier League season needing to beat Everton at home and hoping Norwich can stun Tottenham at Carrow Road to secure an unlikely fourth-place finish.
Arsenal had been in the driving seat to clinch Champions League football at the beginning of May when they moved four points clear of Spurs but back-to-back defeats means Arteta’s young side look set to have to settle for the Europa League.
Arsenal have the youngest squad in the Premier League (Adam Davy/PA)
Many critics have suggested more experience is required in the playing group at the Emirates but the 40-year-old Spaniard has no intention of a big overhaul.
“They are not going to be kids for the rest of their lives, next season they will be more mature than they are this season and you have to start somewhere with those kids,” Arteta insisted.
“What we cannot say is we want to use academy players and do that but then the moment where something goes a little bit wrong then we are not going to do anything with them.
We are going to stick with them and give them exactly what they need because they deserve that.
Mikel Arteta
“I am so grateful for what they have done, what they have brought to the team and to the club, especially in this moment.
“We are going to stick with them and give them exactly what they need because they deserve that.”
Arsenal boast the youngest squad in the Premier League and only trimmed the average age further with the departure of 32-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January.
Arsenal could lose strike duo Alexandre Lacazette (left) and Eddie Nketiah this summer (John Walton/PA)
It has opened the door for Eddie Nketiah to take his chance but with his future still undecided and Alexandre Lacazette set to move on, Arteta knows the club will need to make investment this summer.
He feels a handful of “top-quality” additions will be key, adding: “It is all about the balance.
“Now we have cleared the deck and now we have a squad balance that is much more like what we want and much more affordable than what we had before.
“Now we have to start to add the top-quality pieces that they are not necessarily at 18, 19 or 20-years-old.
“We will do what it takes to get better in every department. Not only the age group but in terms of the quality, in terms of the leadership, in terms of the goal threat of this team, in terms of the physicality of the team that we need to improve as well so there are a lot of areas.”
Champions League football would no doubt help Arsenal attract the world-class players they want but it realistically requires already-relegated Norwich to claim only their fourth league win at home this term.
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
The Canaries have also struggled to find the net at Carrow Road but Arteta was in good spirits at Friday’s press conference.
“They are keeping the goals for Sunday,” Arteta said with a smile.
“We were in Tottenham’s position (with pressure) a few days ago and we lost the opportunity. Now it is down to them to lose it.”
Today's Headlines
CRAZED THUG | Mum who was blinded by crime boss in horror assault says she was ‘left for dead’
Historic Case | Donald Trump indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate
GREAT ADVOCATE | Cancer survivor Teresa Costello pays tribute to her ‘amazing’ pal Trina Cleary
L.A. Fakers | Irish actor fell victim to ‘Con Queen of Hollywood’ who made him perform sex acts
hit-and-run | Shamrock Rovers defender left scene of accident after collision with Dublin Bus, court told
Corona get High | Coke addict cleared of supply charges told court he stockpiled drugs during Covid crisis
sentence increase | Paedophile priest has jail time quadrupled for sexually abusing third victim
Sharp Shock | Five-month sentence for dad caught carrying kitchen knife ‘for his own safety’
tragic find | Tributes after body of Carlow man missing for seven weeks found in River Barrow
bigg fan | Steven Gerrard congratulates Crumlin club after visiting area with Kinahan footsoldier