Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal gave all they could in title fight

Mikel Arteta admitted there was “nothing else to squeeze” from his Arsenal side after they finished second in the Premier League for a third consecutive season.

Arteta confirmed transfer plans are in place to try and end a 21-year wait for the title.

Martin Odegaard’s 89th-minute drive sealed a 2-1 win against relegated Southampton at St Mary’s on the final day whilst there was a goal too on his final appearance for Kieran Tierney before departing for Celtic.

There is little secret though behind where the Gunners have fallen short this season.

Their goal tally of 69 is 22 fewer than last season and for the first time in the Premier League era no player made it into double figures in the league, Kai Havertz – who missed three months through injury – finishing top scorer with nine.

They finished 15 points behind last season’s total of 89 which would have comfortably been enough to pip Liverpool to the title this campaign.

“There is nothing else to squeeze,” said Arteta, who watched the game alongside co-chairman Josh Kroenke as he served a touchline ban.

“There is not a single drop more to give. Hopefully (the fans) value where we are and where we have brought this football club.

“We’re going to have plenty of time to think, to analyse what happened in the season, to learn from it, to take the positive things the team has done and think how can we now go into that little percentage that is missing.”

That search will surely begin with the hunt for a recognised goalscorer.

Though lengthy injuries to Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have undoubtedly affected Arsenal’s goal return, there was nevertheless a feeling at the start of the season that there was a missing piece at the front of the team, which has proved prophetic.

“Believe me, we are on it,” said Arteta. “We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can to make this club even more successful.

“We’ll sit down and put all the plans together, they are almost done. We will sit down and finalise a few things that still have to be decided.”

Arsenal condemned Saints to a record 30th Premier League defeat late on when Odegaard sidestepped Will Smallbone and lashed the ball into the corner from range.

Earlier, after Tierney had signed off his six-year stay by tapping home his first league goal since Boxing Day 2021, Ross Stewart headed the equaliser for his first Southampton goal, as new manager Will Still – the outgoing boss of Lens in Ligue 1 – watched from the stands.

It was a final match in charge for caretaker Simon Rusk who guided the team through the difficult final weeks of a horrendous season.

“I’ve had no information on my future,” he said. “My concentration was to support the players in delivering a game plan to get something out of these games.

“It’s good for everyone to have clarity on who the manager is going to be and I’m sure when the time is right, I’ll get some clarity on my own future.”