Mikel Arteta's four-word Liverpool admission speaks volumes amid Arsenal title hopes

Liverpool have assembled the best squad in the Premier League after spending in excess of £400million in the summer transfer window according to Mikel Arteta, who says Arsenal's title rivals are now 'the strongest' team in England.

The Reds broke the British transfer record twice this summer, first signing Florian Wirtz in a deal worth £116million before sanctioning a £125m move for Alexander Isak on deadline day. The champions also signed Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike for big money to bolster the squad that Arne Slot guided to domestic glory last term.

Arsenal also spent big in the window, splashing out more than £250m to bring in eight new players. They are out to wrestle the domestic crown away from Liverpool after finishing second for a third successive season - but Arteta is in no doubt over who the title favourites are following Liverpool's unprecedent summer of spending.

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“They are the strongest for sure,” Arteta said in his press conference ahead of Saturday's match against Nottingham Forest at The Emirates.

“They have recruited the two most decisive players that were in Europe in the market [Isak and Wirtz], and they did really well to do that. They were very, very strong, and we need to look at ourselves and what we have to do in terms of our abilities to be better than them.”

Arsenal finished the 2024-25 campaign some 10 points behind Liverpool, who were not fancied for the title but went on to make Slot's debut season at the helm one to remember by dethroning Manchester City. In Isak, they have added the Premier League's second most prolific marksman from last year behind only their own Mohamed Salah, while Wirtz amassed an impressive 23 goal contributions in 31 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich last term.

The Reds started the new season as the red-hot favourites to retain their newly acquired crown but Arteta and Co are expected to be their closest challengers. And Arteta, who bolstered his own attack with the signings of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, is under no illusions about the size of the challenge that lies ahead if Arsenal are to end their 20-plus year wait for a league title.

When he was asked how difficult it would be to thwart Liverpool this time around, Arteta added: “It is not about Liverpool but the league in general and how difficult it will be with the level that it is to be so consistent and win the amount of matches you need to earn the right to win the title. That is going to be a really long run for all of us.”

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