Ahead of Arsenal’s pre-season friendly against Liverpool in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spoke to the media at a press conference to discuss the match, the new signing Riccardo Calafiori, and transfers. Read what Arteta had to say below, via Arsenal.com.
Mikel Arteta on Liverpool
on the game against Liverpool: “It’s another great test. We’re in a different city, there’s jetlag and we have to adapt to that. It’s a different pitch, different stadium and weather conditions. It’s all great, and we’re against a team with a new manager that I really like, especially the way he plays. It is going to be really tough and will be a good test as well.”
on Liverpool boss Arne Slot: “I don’t know him personally but I watched him with his past team. First of all, I like him a lot as a person and the way he comes across. I’ve heard very good things from players who are probably the best ones to ask, and I’m really impressed with the way he sets out his teams and the clarity and the quality that they show, so it’s going to be a really good game.”
Arteta on Riccardo Calafiori
on getting Calafiori signed: “I’m very happy. It took a while – it was a player that we have monitored for a year. We were really short in the backline last year in terms of numbers and we demanded so much from them. William Saliba, for example, played in every minute of the Premier League and we believe we had to be more protected. We identified him as a talent that can give us skill and qualities that are going to make us better. We are signing a player with a huge capacity to develop.”
on whether he will play at left-back or centre-back: “Both positions, especially the way we want to play and the way we want to evolve in our game models. He is a player who is going to fit into what we want.”
on why he felt we needed another defender: “It was the numbers. We only had six defenders in the backline and at this level you have to be really lucky to sustain the season like this. We were, because William for example and Gabriel nearly played every minute, we played more than 50 per cent more minutes than the previous season and if we are able to do that consistently over the next three or four years that’s a big question mark. Obviously you cannot just bet on that, that’s a big bet and we don’t want to take that bet.”
on if it was easy to persuade Calafiori to join: “I spoke to him one or two times and I knew the other things [teams being interested]. I wasn’t really sure if we could do it or not, but he was adamant: ‘let me know when you’re ready, my bags are ready and I just want to come to Arsenal’. Those were his words and when you have that feeling, someone with that willingness to join us and make us better and that determination, it’s something really powerful and as a club, we should be really proud of that.”
on having Calafiori out here in the US with us: “You want to integrate the player within your culture, within your team and with your moral aspects as soon as possible and that requires a little bit of time, especially when you move from a different country. We have recently signed quite a lot of players who were in the Premier League which made things easier, but with this it can take a little bit longer. He’s in a really good place, his English is really good, he already has a big understanding of what we want because I explained it to him and he’s so excited. Let’s go day by day.”
on if Calafiori will play on Wednesday: “I don’t know. He had a long flight yesterday, and a medical over the past 24 hours. Today he hasn’t really done anything with the team, and tomorrow he will probably train some parts. Let’s see how he is, we don’t want to rush anything. If he’s available and fit, great.”
Arteta on transfers
on Arsenal’s transfer business so far: “I am very happy that we’ve got Riccardo done. As I said, it was very important to have that protection in the backline because of the issues that we had, especially last year when Jurrien was injured. It increases the quality and the competition and it’s very good for the team.”
on Emile Smith Rowe potentially departing: “I cannot talk about things that haven’t been done yet.”
on what positions he wants to strengthen next: “We’ll have to wait and see the movements in the market. We’ve already identified things that we can improve – we have meetings every March or April and if we can we will try and strengthen the team. I believe we can get better but so far I am really happy with what we have.”
Arteta on the USA tour
on whether he manages to see the cities he visits on tour: “When we have the chance, we love to do that and get some culture and learn from the city, but we arrived here last night and we haven’t really had time. I think this afternoon we will try to do something about it, so hopefully yes.”
on the supporters in America compared to the UK: “It’s been great. It’s been different because the way they lift and the way the atmosphere is created in the stadium is very different to the Premier League. It was unbelievable when we played two or three days ago in SoFi Stadium, and from what I’ve heard it’s going to be really good here as well.”
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