The club's technical director spoke to Sky Sports News about the club's transfer business, working in harmony with their boss Mikel Arteta, and why only trophies will do.
Five new players have been added to the team this summer, costing the club over 120 million dollars.
Arteta's side have won all four of their pre-season games so far, the most recent being a thumping of Chelsea in Florida.
Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge sat down with the technical director of the club, who played for the club between 2001 and 2005, to discuss the summer so far and his hopes for the season.
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He's a player that we really targeted, so we're excited to have him here. It's a player that we think has the characteristics and qualities that will increase our level in the squad.
The plan was to feed that position in the best way possible in the way that Mikel really wants to play.
Mikel knows him more than anyone else because they worked together at Manchester City. It's so important to have a player like him in the squad because of his qualities as a footballer and also as a person.
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We have to be prepared for everything. The transfer window is still open and the most important thing is to be prepared for all scenarios because opportunities can happen.
"Clubs can approach us, players probably want to go on loan, so there's still lots to do, but again, being prepared for me is the most important thing."
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It's not me, it's the other way around." In front of the player's family, I'm part of the process of signing him. Gabriel Jesus is a player that we need to be proud of.
They had been following Jesus for a long time. It takes seven months to understand each other and talk to each other, and then he chooses because he knows who we are.
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Almost all of them." I think we can offer something very special for the players, even if they don't want to play in the European Championship.
You can be part of a group of players who can achieve something very special for the club. I always ask them if they want to be involved in the project we're doing.
"We will do something very special for this football club and then when I explain to the players, they really understand that and that's why they're here."
For sure." The reason to meet the players, the families, and the agents is to understand them, but I also have to understand them.
We carry on if they fit the model in all senses. When I am not comfortable with something, I move on.
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People think we went into too much detail about Raphinha.
We talked to Deco because he is his agent and I have a good relationship with him.
I asked Deco if he could explain to me the situation with Raphinha and he said that he wanted to go to Barcelona because he was dreaming.
I can explore and understand the situation if you let me know about it. We will continue with our relationship if not.
It's a part of our job to give the players opportunities. To make the player understand why he is here or why he needs to leave is the most important thing we can do.
It helps the situation if you give them a clear idea of what you're going to do. You have to find clubs, situations and loans in order to be successful. It helps if you can be direct to the player in a respectful way.
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It was one hundred percent. I'll never sign a player that Mikel is not comfortable with. It's not my style and it's not the style of the football team.
The decision to work together needs to be made together. For me, the most important thing to understand is that it's not Mikel's signings, it's theArsenal signings.
People sometimes give the credit to me or Mikel, but the credit has to go to the team. We are working together and making decisions together.
A lot of people are involved in around one decision. The most important message to the fans is that the players we sign are the decisions of the club.
It's amazing. We stayed on the phone for one hour talking about everything, not just football but families, concepts, ideas and behaviours, after I spoke to him over the phone.
When I switched off my phone, I thought it was a really special thing.
He was almost prepared for everything when we went there to meet Mikel. The way he wanted to play was amazing and he was really impressive on his ideas.
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It's not fair to link the owners with the spending. It is not fair if people have doubts about our owners.
They are engaged, supportive and present in the club which makes us feel very comfortable.
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We have a plan and are probably in the middle of it.
Quality needs to be improved in the squad. Every year we have to make important decisions to make our squad better.
We have to be thinking about winning here. The club was born to win things because of the size of the club. We have to be better every year.
Yes, for sure. I don't understand why we have to be realistic, but I want to win again. I would like to be there as soon as possible. Why wouldn't you?
I can't think less than winning things.
We will continue to work hard for them.
The transfer window will close at 11pm on September 1st.
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