Ex-Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen makes feelings clear about Gunners failing to win trophy under Mikel Arteta once again

Former Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen has backed Mikel Arteta to guide the club to success. After finishing second in the last two campaigns, the Spanish manager saw his team miss out on the Premier League title once again this year.

Speaking to Sky Sports (via GOAL), Vermaelen praised Arteta and his team for getting the club competing for trophies year in, year out.

"He's so close to winning trophies and that doesn't mean as an Arsenal fan or the team itself would be very disappointed how he went towards the end of the season because they want to lift trophies, especially after last season already where we were very close on beating Manchester City and now City dropping," Vermaelen said.

He continued:

"I expected Arsenal to be there. Unfortunately, it wasn't. That doesn't mean everything is going wrong and the job the players and the manager and the staff are doing is not going well."

He concluded:

"So I still strongly believe in that group and in the club itself that again next year it could be challenging again. I feel like Arsenal is now year in, year out challenging for trophies and that's where you want to be and then it's a matter of just taking it over the line and and that's the next step that Arsenal hopefully can make very soon."

Mikel Arteta hasn't won a major trophy with the Gunners since lifting the FA Cup in the 2019-20 campaign. The north London side won the Community Shield in 2020 and 2023, and are all but confirmed to finish second behind champions Liverpool in the league this season.

Are Arsenal eyeing a move for Julian Alvarez this summer?

Mikel Arteta is considering a move for Julian Alvarez this summer, according to El Chiringuito TV (via Mirror). The Argentine striker left Manchester City to move to Atletico Madrid last summer and has been a revelation at the Metropolitano Stadium so far.

Alvarez has registered 29 goals and six assists from 53 games across competitions this season. The Gunners have struggled due to the absence of a proven No. 9 in their ranks this season, and Alvarez has been identified as the answer.

The 25-year-old famously won the treble at the Etihad, and could hit the ground running with a return. Atletico Madrid will apparently let him go if they receive an offer in excess of the £80m they paid for his signature.

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Edited by Parag Jain