Mikel Arteta is pleased with the progress made by Arsenal this season, but says financial backing is imperative if the club are to push on next season.
The Gunners enter the final round of Premier League fixtures sitting fifth in the table, two points adrift of fierce rivals Tottenham in the final Champions League spot.
Arsenal's fate had been in their own hands prior to losing back-to-back matches against Spurs and Newcastle United without scoring a goal.
They now need to beat Everton at Emirates Stadium on Sunday and hope that Tottenham fail to win away at already relegated Norwich City.
A fifth-placed finish would still mark Arsenal's best season in three years, though, and Arteta – who signed a new deal earlier this month – is eager to focus on the positives.
"It’s been a long journey and a very challenging one this season but I think we have come a long way as a club," he said at Friday's pre-match news conference.
"As a team I think we have transformed the energy of the club and we’ve done it together. Now I can sense I have the support to take the next step.
"We are back in Europe, hopefully it will be the Champions League, and we want to take the club to the next level.
"We have a clear plan. We need resources and we need to improve the quality and the depth of the squad."
Arsenal have been linked with a number of players ahead of the transfer window opening, with reports on Friday suggesting Marquinhos is close to finalising terms.
While Arteta was unwilling to confirm his interest in Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos, the Spaniard is confident he will get the chance to strengthen his squad.
"When there is a player to announce in the next few weeks, we'll be dealing with that then," he said when asked specifically about Marquinhos.
"We are going to have certain resources, not unlimited resources, certain resources.
"We don't know what the rest are going to have, which I assume is going to be challenging because now it’s not a top three, it’s a top eight.
"This club's history is to be the best in this country. It takes time to get there."
Arsenal have avoided defeat in their final league game in the past 16 seasons, winning the last 10 of those, while at home they are unbeaten on the final weekend since 1992-93.
However, they have lost their past three league games with Everton and are aiming to avoid four losses in a row against them in the competition for the first time since 1924.
Everton make the trip to London with little to play for on the face of it after confirming Premier League safety with a 3-2 victory win against Crystal Palace on Thursday.
That impressive comeback was somewhat overshadowed, though, as Palace boss Patrick Vieira was involved in an altercation when Everton fans ran onto the pitch at full-time.
Merseyside Police and the Football Association are investigating, and Arteta wants to see an end to pitch invasions following a number of high-profile recent incidents.
"We have to stop it and we have to minimise the risk and exposure of players and staff in this situation," he said.
"You cannot control it. When there are so many people involved it becomes dangerous."
Edwards salutes 'special club' Luton after relegation confirmed
Rob Edwards paid tribute to "special club" Luton Town after the Hatters' relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on the final day.
Luton's brief but eventful stint in the top flight came to an end following a 4-2 defeat by Fulham at Kenilworth Road, with Edwards' side finishing 18th and six points adrift of 17th-place Nottingham Forest.
Last-day survival was always going to be a big ask for the Hatters, who needed a victory and an ambitious 12-goal swing to stand any chance of usurping Forest.
Luton have gained many new admirers with their tally of 52 goals the second-most by a side during a 20-team Premier League season in which they were relegated - after Blackpool's 55 in 2010-11.
However, a leaky defence proved to be their undoing as they conceded 85 times - their highest tally in a top-flight campaign.
Nevertheless, Edwards saluted the club's supporters, and believes his side have a solid foundation to build on next season in their quest for an immediate return from the Championship.
"We're a special club, we've got unique support. We've had that all season long," he told Match of the Day. "Everyone that's travelled has shown their best. We've given our best this year, and ultimately we've just come up short.
"If one game could almost tell a season's story, that would be today - full of endeavour, some really good quality at times as well, but a little bit too fragile.
"We've scored a lot of goals this year. We've been good to watch, we've been involved in loads of great games, but we've conceded too many. That balance is something that we've got to try to address, and we know where we need to keep improving.
"We have changed and evolved so much. There is a lot of good stuff we can take to attack the Championship next season. We work hard, we give absolutely everything. We just have to be us, go and be Luton."
'Closer to leaving than staying' – Guardiola unsure on Man City future after title glory
Pep Guardiola says there is a greater chance of him leaving Manchester City than staying, despite the Spaniard wanting to continue in charge after Sunday's Premier League title triumph.
City manager Guardiola offered a cryptic description over his future after his side lifted their fourth successive top-flight trophy following the 3-1 victory over West Ham at Etihad Stadium.
That success marked Guardiola's sixth Premier League title, with only Alex Ferguson (13) managing more in the competition's history, though speculation persists over his future.
When pressed on his plans by Sky Sports after the title celebrations, Guardiola said: "The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.
"We have talked with the club – my feeling is that I want to stay now. I will stay next season and during the season we will talk, but eight or nine years – we will see."
City ended the season after going 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions (W29 D6), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, as they broke further records with this triumph.
Guardiola's side are the first team in English top-flight history to win the title in four consecutive seasons, having won the league in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Yet the former Barcelona boss says credit must be shared for City's title-winning heroics.
"A lot of work, I'm not saying I'm a bad manager but I have incredible support from the club," he added.
"We have this work ethic, everyone does their job and every department is so important. This is the truth and the reality."
City once again pipped Arsenal, whose final-day victory over Everton proved meaningless, to the title – just as they did last season in a battle with Mikel Arteta's side.
Guardiola warned Arsenal are a side on an upward trajectory, though, as Arteta continues to excite with his youthful Gunners.
"For Arsenal to push us to another level – before it was Liverpool – and the last two seasons it's been Arsenal," Guardiola continued.
"This one has been incredible. We get the message, we know they will be there for many years.
"They have a young manager with big talent – they sent us a message that you have to be careful for the next few years.
"When I moved here if someone had said I would win six leagues in seven seasons I would say you're insane – no way.
"All these players for Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea, all these teams. Now is our period, we are part of that."
Ten Hag concedes Man Utd's Premier League finish 'not good enough by far'
Erik ten Hag conceded Manchester United's season was "not good enough by far" after the Red Devils recorded their lowest Premier League finish in eighth place.
United concluded their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion, with second-half goals from Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund sealing the points at the American Express Stadium.
Nevertheless, Ten Hag's side finished three points behind sixth-placed Chelsea and will subsequently miss out on European football for the first time in 10 years, unless they beat Manchester City in next week's FA Cup final.
And the Dutchman, who insisted his players "will fight for the cup" at Wembley, pulled no punches in his assessment of United's season.
"It is not good enough by far," he told Match of the Day. "Although we had less than 60 points two years ago [58 points in 2021-22], eighth is the worst performance. We should have done better.
"We know the reasons behind it, but it is not the right moment to go into it. It’s not good enough."
On the win over Brighton, he added: "The first half was too static. We changed something at half-time, and after that we had more control.
"We had a lot of problems defending Joao Pedro in the first half, but then we had more control, and we were better on the ball. In the end, the win is OK."
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