Mikel Arteta has changed key Arsenal transfer criteria, it affects two players more than most
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(Credit: Imago, Getty)
Edward Bazeley
Wed 24 September 2025 12:15, UK
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta heavily utilised the summer transfer window to increase the competition within his squad.
With Arteta intent on bringing silverware to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting to solve his attacking issues.
Credit: Imago
Despite their strong summer of recruitment, Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, 21 September.
Arsenal’s Next Three Fixture DatesOpponent24 SeptPort Vale (A)28 SeptNewcastle (A)1 OctOlympiacos (H)Arsenal face Port Vale next
However, Arteta cannot be questioned for his summer transfer window, with plenty of Arsenal’s new signings flourishing in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on 13 September.
The tiers ranked from one to three, with the lower the number denoting a player’s proximity to the first team.
“Arteta and the club have scrapped that system, arguing that with so many games and so much rotation, the idea of a fixed first XI no longer works.“
The greatest example of Arteta possessing two players who are providing tough competition for each other arguably comes from his left-back duo, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Even though he is a defender, Calafiori has taken more shots than any other Arsenal player in the Premier League, epitomising the importance of the 23-year-old.
Riccardio Calafiori is in direct competition with Myles Lewis-Skelly for Arsenal’s starting left-back position.
Credit: IMAGO.
Meanwhile, Lewis-Skelly has not started a game for the Emirates Stadium outfit this term, but the fact that he made 39 appearances across all competitions last campaign shows that he is waiting in the wings to perform if the Italy international either hits poor form or suffers an injury.
Lewis-Skelly’s presence is also ideal for Arteta when Arsenal choose to rotate their squad, and the 18-year-old should be in line to start against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup on 24 September.
The Gunners must utilise their squad depth to ensure that they enjoy a victory over Newcastle United in their next Premier League game.