Arsenal's Squad Size Reaches Unsustainable Levels: Mikel Arteta Sounds Alarm!

When questioned about potential new arrivals for the upcoming season, Mikel Arteta expressed his concerns about the sustainability of Arsenal's current 30-man first-team squad. Despite taking 31 players on their pre-season tour in the USA, the absence of certain first-team members due to the presence of U21 players has left them without adequate match practice, leaving only two weeks until the Premier League commences.

Nicolas Pepe, Cedric Soares, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who were on loan from the Emirates last season, are part of that group but still have contracts with the club. With only a month left in the summer transfer window, Arteta emphasized the need to trim the size of his squad after their 5-3 win against Barcelona in Los Angeles.

"We currently have a group of 30 players, which is not feasible, and it's worth noting that the transfer market is still active," Arteta expressed. "Possibilities may arise - but we are ready for anything.

"At present, we are genuinely content with the squad we possess; of course, there are areas where we need to enhance our performance during matches, and we intend to do so. On the whole, I am extremely satisfied with the team."

Folarin Balogun, who has caught the attention of Inter Milan, may be one player who could leave this summer. However, Arsenal has set a hefty £50m price tag on him before considering any potential transfer.

Arteta disclosed that Balogun was unable to participate in the friendly triumph against Barcelona due to a foot injury. When questioned about Balogun's role in the team for this season, Arteta remained undecided about his future.

The Arsenal manager expressed that they would need to assess the situation and ensure that the player is both physically ready and able to contribute playing time. He also offered a more optimistic outlook on Gabriel Jesus' influence at the SoFi Stadium, highlighting the impressive performance of seven different players who scored goals in the Gunners' initial four matches of the pre-season campaign.

"If we have somebody that can score 25, 30, 40 goals, then great," he said. "Today, Gabby [Jesus] didn't score but it's the best Gabby that I've seen for months.

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Kai Havertz scored his second goal in an Arsenal shirt in their 5-3 win over Barcelona

Once again, he exuded energy and belief, causing a significant amount of chaos and generating numerous positive moments. His presence uplifted the entire team, greatly impressing me.

Furthermore, Kai Havertz's contribution deserves recognition. This is precisely why he is on the field, showcasing his exceptional skills alongside Leo in that particular position. With an abundance of attacking options, they will all have to compete among themselves to pose a challenge for me.

Declan Rice, the newly arrived player, was unexpectedly absent in Los Angeles. However, Arteta clarified that his £105m acquisition was only inconvenienced by a minor injury and provided an additional update on Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is still recovering and has not participated in pre-season matches.

"Dec [Rice] received a strong kick during training and didn't want to risk aggravating the injury. He felt uncomfortable training yesterday and today, so we made the decision not to include him in the match," explained Arteta.

"With Alex [Zinchenko], he had a muscular injury again unfortunately. He's getting back - I think he'll be back soon, but it's a shame that he hasn't been with us the whole tour."