- 6 months ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaks on Havertz injury & Eze Transfer rumour
22/08/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
22/08/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:01We are already in the room. We'll kick off with Gary from Sky Sports.
00:05Thanks, Dan. Hello, hi.
00:08Kai Hablutz, what's the latest on his injury?
00:12Well, certainly not fit for this match. Unfortunately, he picked an injury.
00:17We don't really know yet the extent of it. I think we need a bit more time
00:21and some more tests and after that we'll have more clarity about the next steps.
00:27Is it a flare-up of the knee? Did he have something similar during the summer?
00:32I prefer not to talk about the specifics, but he's not fit, as I said.
00:37We need to explore that issue a little bit further and then decide what we're going to do.
00:42So the best scenario would be weeks and potentially, sadly, the worst scenario could be worse.
00:47I don't know. The baddest scenario is that he cannot play tomorrow.
00:51I would love to have him fresh and available and bringing what he brings to the team.
00:56Unfortunately, that's not going to be possible.
00:59When he's just back from such a big injury, obviously he came back really quickly, relatively speaking.
01:04And now he's picked up this other injury, whether it's as bad or not so bad.
01:11Mentally, how has that affected him?
01:14Well, mentally he's in a good place because he's a really strong boy, very committed.
01:19As you said, he had an incredible recovery from the hamstring surgery.
01:22I think he never had an injury before.
01:25So it was the first experience really.
01:27And now he's got a setback. Let's see how bad it is.
01:31But I'm sure he's going to deal in the best possible way.
01:34And as I said, it's a joy of a kid and hopefully we're going to have him soon.
01:39Ben White and Christian Norgard, when you had your Open training this week, weren't present.
01:44What's the situation with that?
01:46Yeah, Christian will be in the squad with Ben.
01:49Let's see still how he reacts and what we decide.
01:52But Christian will be out for another week or so.
01:55And Ben as well?
01:56Ben, let's see.
01:57Can I, live at the news conference, mention a three-letter word?
02:06Eze?
02:07Oh, you're going to say mum.
02:12Eze?
02:13Yeah?
02:14Nothing to comment, you know.
02:17I can never talk about any player that is not part of our group, our club yet.
02:22So no comments on that.
02:24It's a cool scenario, isn't it?
02:26Because Oliver Glasner and Steve Parrish have both said goodbye to him publicly.
02:30Steve Parrish says the King is dead, love with the King.
02:35Oliver Glasner said it was always obvious we were going to lose him.
02:38He's all over social media coming to Arsenal.
02:41But in your usual way, you can't say anything until it's official.
02:44No, I can't, sorry.
02:46Just generally speaking, when you are looking to recruit a player,
02:49as well as their qualities on the pitch, how important is it that you get the sense
02:52that they want to be at Arsenal, just generally speaking?
02:55But that's the number one, that they want to be with us,
02:59that they feel something special to come to us,
03:02then the person and what personality we're going to bring,
03:06and then the rest comes.
03:07And I think we've done that very, very well in the last few years
03:11to create the group of players and the spirit in the team.
03:15And if that unlaid player grew up supporting Arsenal,
03:18so much the better.
03:20The better the feeling, the stronger the feeling,
03:23I think the better always, because it brings a different edge,
03:26a different will and emotion to what you do.
03:30And I think that always brings something extra.
03:32Victor Jokeres, was it always the plan to give him just the hour in his first Premier League outing?
03:38Well, depending on how the game developed,
03:40and every game brings different challenges, opportunities.
03:44I think the game was very demanding physically,
03:47became really, really open for different reasons,
03:50and we decided that at that moment he did enough,
03:54and we had Kai on the bench to come and change the game.
03:57No car course this time, so is Victor ready to go again?
04:01He is very, very enthusiastic.
04:03He trained really well this week.
04:04Again, he had another week.
04:05And in his belt, he looked in a really good place.
04:08And we're here to talk about Leeds.
04:10So let me ask you finally about Leeds.
04:12Well, very impressed.
04:13I'm watching them what they've done in pre-season,
04:15what they did on Monday,
04:17what they did last year for sure as well,
04:19in the manner that they did it as well.
04:21Big compliments to the way they play, to the coach.
04:25And yeah, I'm sure they're going to put a really difficult match
04:29against us tomorrow.
04:31Can I ask you about set-pieces?
04:34An area you know very well.
04:36You've been using it so well for quite a while.
04:38Worked well at Old Trafford.
04:40When your position is trying to carry on challenging,
04:43and you carry on being successful,
04:45how much does a coach have to evolve and be creative?
04:48Yeah, that creativity comes from different angles,
04:51and in every phase of play we try to do that.
04:54In Old Trafford we have many situations from open play as well
04:57that we should have and we could have exploited the situation
05:00much better to be much more efficient in how we finish actions.
05:07And especially because then they went the other way very quickly.
05:10And on that sense, especially being the first one,
05:12which is really difficult because we all pay a lot of attention to that.
05:15That's a big resource that we have and it brings confidence as well
05:19that the team can score goals from any situation.
05:22First home match of the season in the Premier League game this weekend.
05:26How important is it to have the defensive board this weekend
05:32to create a great atmosphere and be part of the journey?
05:35Yeah, it's always very special.
05:37Everybody is very excited for the first game.
05:39It builds a different energy around the stadium.
05:42I'm sure they missed it.
05:44They missed the team.
05:45We have certainly missed our supporters and that connection.
05:48And tomorrow, I'm sure, from the first whistle,
05:51I think everybody is going to be at it and we're going to have a good game.
05:54It's this weekend.
05:55In the last couple of years we saw the three promoted sides
05:58go to relegate after just one season.
06:00When you look at the size of the club, their history
06:03and the results against Everton a few days ago,
06:06how confident do you think they will be this weekend?
06:08Incredible club, incredible history as well.
06:10I've been here long enough to understand the history of that football club.
06:15As I said, very special.
06:16One big city on just one club.
06:18So passionate about what they've done.
06:20You know what happens when you go there and play.
06:22So, yeah, great to have them back.
06:24I wish them all the best apart from tomorrow, obviously.
06:27When you're trying to break down those teams that sit deep
06:33and have been an issue in the past,
06:35how important do you think the arrival of Nonny
06:37could be for that when you look at what he does in tight space
06:39in terms of a dribbler?
06:41Yeah, any creative player that can unlock situations
06:44and from close situations becomes an open situation,
06:47creating that uncertainty, more attention as well
06:50in and around the ball is going to create a space in other places.
06:53So, yeah, having more creativity, more weapons,
06:57having the ability to bring different profiles on the pitch,
07:00different stages in the game,
07:02something that for sure we're going to have this season.
07:05And that's great.
07:06Can I just ask you one quick one on injuries.
07:08On that session on Wednesday,
07:09we saw Jürgen started the session but left.
07:12Is he OK?
07:13And also, just on Gabriel Jesus,
07:15have you got any more timeline of when he might be back?
07:18Yeah.
07:19So, on Jürgen, we have to manage his load.
07:22Obviously, he's been out for a long time again
07:24and he comes from a long-term injury.
07:27So, we had a long week.
07:29We have to manage the load on that.
07:30So, we have decided to take a little bit of training down,
07:34especially that day in the open session.
07:36And Gabi is doing super well.
07:38I think he looks in a really good place.
07:41Obviously, it's a massive injury
07:43and we need to come back from there in a really strong way.
07:46But certainly, he's in the right place
07:48and with very strong strides, I think.
07:51Hi, Mikkel.
07:52We spoke after the United game about the turnovers
07:56and the chances that were necessarily created.
07:58You mentioned seven or eight moments.
08:00We went back and re-watched it.
08:01There were 12 times, I think, in the game
08:03where there were turnovers and camera attacks
08:05that lead to a major chance.
08:07What view needs to click and change for those moments
08:09to create that big chance?
08:11Well, a few things.
08:13Understanding the behaviour of the position.
08:14Understanding what kind of runs
08:16and where we have to start.
08:17The timing of that connection as well,
08:20which is something that in every situation
08:22is going to be different.
08:23So, understanding certain principles,
08:25where we want to arrive, how we want to do it.
08:27And then it's about the execution
08:29and being fresh as well on those moments
08:31to make that decision.
08:32Because when your heart rate is 180,
08:34to make that pass is not the same
08:36that when you've been resting
08:38after a set piece for one minute, you know.
08:40So, every situation is different.
08:42But I'm sure we're going to improve it.
08:44The good thing is the intention that the team has
08:46were exceptional.
08:47It's not about making those little margins,
08:51those tunes to make it more efficient.
08:53And just on the transfer window as well,
08:55this is your third recruitment head
08:58in terms of someone you've worked with,
09:00that's led the transfers,
09:01you've worked with Raul,
09:02what they do, and now Andrea Berta.
09:04What differences have you noticed
09:05this summer working with someone new?
09:06Is there anything different this summer?
09:08Well, the great thing is,
09:10the common thing is that ownership
09:12has always been the same.
09:14They've been super supportive.
09:15We had a really strong board as well,
09:17very well connected.
09:19And then, yeah, three very different people.
09:22Very grateful to the three of them
09:24and enjoyed to work with one of them.
09:26With Andrea now, again, as I expected,
09:29someone extremely professional,
09:31very thorough, very determined,
09:33and bringing something different to the table as well.
09:36So, I enjoy a lot working with them.
09:39Hi, Michael.
09:41Hi.
09:42A few weeks ago you mentioned evolution
09:44and I think you mentioned it again a week after
09:46in the presser.
09:47And when you mentioned it,
09:49you spoke about creating spaces inside quite a bit.
09:52I was just wondering,
09:53when you were thinking about how the team can evolve,
09:56how big a role was that
09:58in what you were looking forward to this season?
10:02Well, a few things I want to express them here.
10:05When that evolution makes sure
10:07that when we're evolving
10:08we are maintaining the great things that we do
10:10and just tweaking and making things
10:13that can give us big value,
10:15not spending too much time on them.
10:17And that's what we have done
10:18and we're going to continue to do.
10:20And you will see them.
10:22But the evolution as well comes from the individuals.
10:24At the end, it's about the players,
10:26putting those players with their qualities
10:27in those positions as often as possible
10:29to express their qualities.
10:31I was just going to ask about David Bryant as well
10:34because I thought at the weekend
10:36there was a moment where basically
10:40the ball came into the box
10:41and he punched it out through bodies.
10:43He's quite a short goalkeeper by most standards
10:46but at that point it didn't seem like his height mattered.
10:49So I was just wondering what you thought
10:51about his kind of stature as a goalkeeper
10:54kind of defying what most people expect.
10:58That is very big here and he's very brave.
11:01And you cannot be the tallest
11:02but if you have the will and the courage
11:05to go for these kind of balls,
11:07that's a massive attribute.
11:08And then he's a super athlete.
11:10He's someone really athletic, really powerful,
11:14really dynamic, really agile
11:16and that's a big advantage
11:18because he can time things really well
11:20and on that action especially
11:22when there are so many bodies in the box
11:24to come out and do that.
11:26It shows his courage and personality
11:28and his capacity to deal with these kind of situations.
11:32One from Phil at the back.
11:34Hi.
11:35In terms of Arsenal's transfer activity so far this summer
11:39and possibly with another big name on the way,
11:41do you think that the club
11:42is really sending out a statement to its rivals?
11:44You know that Arsenal are messing around
11:46and Arsenal are here to win this year?
11:48I think we are showing the ambition that we want to do,
11:52that we are here to win major trophies,
11:54to keep evolving and improving every single year
11:57and that's going to come with demands
11:59and those demands are clear.
12:00It's our competitors what we're doing,
12:02where the league is going
12:04and we're going to be in front,
12:06not just chasing or acting or behind.
12:08We just want to be in front of it
12:10and every decision that we make in every area of the club
12:13is to try to achieve that.
12:15Does that bring any extra pressure to you?
12:17For me it's motivation.
12:19For me it's how can we be better,
12:21how can we continue to evolve
12:23to win more football matches with bigger margins,
12:26how can we bring the people that we have closer to us,
12:29more connected,
12:30and I think the players that we already have are incredible,
12:33the ones that we already signed.
12:35I think they are players that are going to connect with our people
12:37and make them proud and excited.
12:39OK, last two in the live section.
12:41First, Nick.
12:42Can you tell us a little bit about Leandro Trossard
12:45and his new contract situation?
12:47Well, I prefer not to because it's not my duty.
12:51I'm really, really happy with Leo.
12:53That situation has been resolved in a really great way
12:57and I think he deserves a recognition
13:00and we are really happy to have him.
13:02There was speculation he might be one of the players
13:04to leave this summer, clearly not now,
13:06but do you think we will be seeing a few players leaving
13:08between now and in the window?
13:10Well, it might be speculation.
13:11The good players always have options to go.
13:14Leo was very clear from the beginning that he wanted to go here.
13:17The club was very clear.
13:19When Leo was here, I was very clear that I wasn't here.
13:21So, at the end, good outcome.
13:23James?
13:24Yes, man.
13:25Hi, Mikael.
13:26Hi.
13:27There is a suggestion that you stepped up in the market this week
13:29in response to Kai's injury.
13:31Is that accurate or were you always thinking about trying to do one more?
13:35I think it was very clear what I said that it wasn't done.
13:40Obviously, we were very active trying to look at the possibilities
13:44that could come.
13:46We are not reacting to anything.
13:48We have been very prepared and understanding what we could do
13:51and we have decided it is the moment to do it.
13:54If you do get one more in, will that complete the squad?
13:57I don't know.
13:59To complete the squad, we have to see the in and the outs.
14:03It's still a long time in the window.
14:06Just watching Open training in the midweek,
14:08there was that game you played where Martin Zubemeli was playing
14:12for both teams.
14:13Is that a specific way that you looked to integrate him into your style of play
14:18or am I reading too much into one drill?
14:21Well, he has an element of that, he has an element as well of load
14:26because he missed a couple of training sessions before Man United with illness
14:31and obviously the game took a lot out of him
14:34and we wanted to manage him as well.
14:37Okay, that finishes the ads live.
14:38We're going to go to 10 minutes.
Comments