Arteta demands 'desire and ambition' for Arsenal's title defence and confirms Lewis-Skelly will stay
Quick summary
Mikel Arteta has set the tone for Arsenal's title defence by calling for 'desire and ambition' from his squad, while confirming that Myles Lewis-Skelly will remain at the club amid reported external interest.
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Attributed to original sourceChampions’ manager says team ready for long marathon
Arteta 100% confident Lewis-Skelly will remain at club
Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal to prove they have the desire to defend their Premier League title on the eve of the new season and insisted Myles Lewis-Skelly will not be leaving in this transfer window.
Arsenal face Coventry in their opening match on Friday night as they attempt to retain the championship for the first time since the 1930s. Arteta’s side have won 17 of their last 18 matches against promoted teams and have not been beaten at the Emirates by one since November 2010 – a run of 45 matches.
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What happened
Speaking ahead of the new season, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stressed that retaining the Premier League title will require renewed hunger from his players. He framed the challenge as one of mentality rather than tactics, insisting complacency is the biggest threat to a second consecutive crown. In the same address, Arteta confirmed that highly rated academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly will not be leaving, ending speculation linking the young midfielder-turned-defender with a move away. Keeping Lewis-Skelly is a significant boost given his breakthrough role in the previous title-winning campaign.
Chance analysis
Title defences in the Premier League have historically humbled even the strongest squads, and Arteta's messaging is a clear attempt to inoculate his group against the comfort that comes with being champions. Confirming Lewis-Skelly's future removes the single biggest cloud over Arsenal's summer and preserves a player who emerged as a difference-maker in their title-winning season. With the squad intact and the manager's bar set at mentality rather than personnel, Arsenal begin the campaign looking like the team to beat.
Arsenal retain their breakthrough young talent Lewis-Skelly and head into the new season under a manager publicly committed to defending the title, reinforcing their status as favorites.