When Jurrien Timber joined Arsenal two years ago he was given a tour of the training ground by the club’s then sporting director Edu Gaspar. Edu pointed to a silhouetted cut-out of the Premier League trophy on one wall.

The additions of midfielder Martin Zubimendi and striker Viktor Gyokeres show Arsenal's ambition in what will be Mikel Arteta's most important season as manager.

Mikel Arteta speaks to The Athletic on the eve of his seventh season with Arsenal. 'There is much more to come,' he says

Mikel Arteta has told Arsenal fans what Viktor Gyokeres said during the pair’s first private phone call. Gyokeres joined Arsenal earlier this summer in a deal worth over £60 million, becoming one of the Gunners’ top five most expensive signings.

Every save, flap and dodgy pass came under intense scrutiny as Arteta's experiment snowballed into a crisis. The uncertainty rocked the whole defence in the early part of the season and ultimately led to the Gunners finishing two points behind Guardiola's title winners.

During an interview with Men in Blazers, Arteta was asked what sort of data convinced him to sign Gyokeres ahead of his other targets. The Spaniard revealed that the striker said three words during their meeting, and that made up his mind.

EXCLUSIVE: Max Dowman has emerged as the latest Arsenal wonderkid to break into the first team set-up as Mikel Arteta divulged the 15-year-old's two traits that make him such an exceptional talent

Trossard has endured a summer disrupted by fitness concerns and transfer speculation. The Belgian forward limped off during Arsenal’s pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur in July after lasting just 17 minutes. Trossard has not reappeared during the rest of the club’s summer preparations.

Mikel Arteta has plenty of common ground and long-term relationships with two of the top-rated managers in the world, Pep Guardiola and Xabi Alonso.