Mikel Arteta has hinted at Arsenal's transfer plans as he aims to "upgrade" the squad ahead of the next Premier League season.
The Gunners finished as runners-up behind Manchester City in the previous two seasons, missing out on the final day last year as they finished just two points shy of the champions.
While they were closer to the Citizens last term – they won the same number of games as City and matched their goal difference of 62 – Arteta acknowledged they needed to bring in new additions to help mount another title challenge.
"We have to [improve]," said Arteta. "When you are so close you want to grab it.
"Perfection in this league requires different standards when you relate that word to winning the Premier League and that is what we have to do.
"We need to upgrade in everything we are doing. We have to improve in every area and that is what we are trying to do."
Riccardo Calafiori is expected to join the club from Bologna, who he helped to qualify for the Champions League, with Arsenal edging closer to a deal for the defender.
Although Arteta said he had "no update" on when the Calafiori deal could be done, he stressed the club were aiming to make strides in the transfer market.
"I don't know if anyone will join us [for the pre-season tour]," Arteta added.
"There is still a lot of time left in the window and, while that is more a question for the board, obviously, we know there are certain positions that we want to improve and give the squad better resources in terms of numbers, but the main thing is to focus on falling in love with the players we have."
"Obviously, we know there are certain positions that we want to improve and give the squad better resources in terms of numbers where we are short.
"We will try our best, but the main thing is to focus on falling in love with the players we have and make them better."
Arsenal will face Bournemouth, Manchester United and Liverpool during their pre-season tour of the USA before beginning their Premier League campaign against Wolves on August 17.
MLS All-Stars v Liga MX All-Stars: Hernandez in it to win it at Columbus home
Cucho Hernandez is certain the top players from across MLS and Liga MX will give everything to win when they face off in Wednesday's All-Star Game at his club home in Columbus.
Lower.com Field – home to MLS Cup holders the Columbus Crew – will play host to the 28th edition of the MLS All-Star Game, with a team comprised of Mexican football's finest the opponents.
This will be the third edition of the All-Star Game to use the inter-league format.
The MLS All-Stars beat their Liga MX counterparts on penalties in 2021, then triumphed 2-1 in a repeat fixture in 2022 with Carlos Vela and Raul Ruidiaz scoring.
Though Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will miss Wednesday's game due to injury, Hernandez is expecting a high-quality contest and is relishing the chance to play alongside those he is used to facing.
"Nobody holds back," he said. "Even when it's a game of ping pong, you want to win. That's how we are as players.
"We were born competitors and it'll definitely be an intense game that both teams want to win.
"What I really like is meeting new people. Sometimes you see this level of players on television and say, 'What a player!' or 'What a golazo!'
"Then he's here beside you and you can chat with him. It's a really nice experience."
Hernandez, who was selected by his club boss and All-Stars coach Wilfried Nancy, could be partnered in attack by Denis Bouanga, who won the 2023 MLS Golden Boot and has 16 goals in the competition already this term.
The forward, though, insists his priority is always team success, saying: "I try to be as decisive as possible for the team with the players around me, to bring something each day.
"That all speaks to the collective, I'm not being decisive and making my team win so I can be named MVP or get the Golden Boot."
Club America coach Andre Jardine will lead the Liga MX All-Stars after capturing both titles on offer in 2023-24 – the Apertura and the Clausura.
Like Hernandez, Jardine – who has selected a squad containing the likes of Salomon Rondon, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Sergio Canales – will take the game seriously.
"We won't be able to do much tactically, because we will hardly have training, but there is great quality with these players and we want to win," he said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
MLS All-Stars – Luciano Acosta
As the reigning MLS MVP and the captain of the All-Star side, FC Cincinnati talisman Acosta should take centre-stage, particularly with compatriot Messi ruled out.
Acosta's 82 chances created in MLS this year are more than any other player in the competition, while his 26 goal involvements (11 goals, 15 assists) are also the most in the league.
Liga MX All-Stars – Salomon Rondon
Rondon has already proven his worth on US soil this year, firing Venezuela to the Copa America quarter-finals, where they were edged out on penalties by Canada.
Only Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez (five) bettered his tally of three goals at the tournament, with those efforts coming from chances worth 2.44 expected goals (xG). The target man also ranked joint-eighth for chances created with eight, recording one assist.
MATCH PREDICTION: MLS ALL-STARS WIN
Victories have been hard to come by for the MLS All-Stars in recent years, though the calibre of opposition has certainly played into that.
Indeed, since beating Bayern Munich and Tottenham in back-to-back editions of the game in 2014 and 2015, the MLS All-Stars have only triumphed on two of seven occasions.
However, their conquerors through that spell have been Arsenal (twice), Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
Their two victories both came versus teams made up of Liga MX's finest, and given the level of attacking talent found in Nancy's squad, not to mention the experience of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, they go in as favourites.
Top European leagues and FIFPRO launch legal complaint against FIFA
Top European leagues and players' union FIFPRO have launched legal action against FIFA, accusing the governing body of abusing its dominant position and harming player welfare by oversaturating the calendar.
The European Leagues – a body representing 39 leagues including the Premier League – has filed a complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulators.
The move comes amid controversy regarding the calendar, with the first edition of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup set to take place in the United States next year.
Last month, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested the European champions could boycott the competition, only for Los Blancos to subsequently confirm their participation in a statement.
FIFPRO launched legal action against FIFA at the Brussels court of commence in the ensuing days, claiming the decision to schedule the Club World Cup had violated players' rights.
The union has now joined a number of leagues in taking the issue to EU lawmakers, with a joint statement reading: "The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.
"FIFA's decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players.
"National leagues and player unions, which represent the interests of all clubs and all players at the national level and regulate labour relations through collectively agreed solutions, cannot accept that global regulations are decided unilaterally.
"Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and workforce from FIFA's unilateral decisions."
Madrid and Manchester City are among 12 European clubs to have booked a spot at the first 32-team Club World Cup, due to their recent Champions League successes.
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus will also feature, with most qualifiers being determined by a ranking system that awards points for victories in the Champions League.
Young Reggae Boyz facing elimination after 0-3 defeat to Costa Rica; United States blank Cuba 4-0
Despite a slightly improved performance, Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz suffered another defeat and is now all but out of contention at the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, as Costa Rica and United States seem set to secure the top two Group A spots to the quarterfinals in Mexico.
In fact, United States, who registered a 4-0 win over Cuba, are already through to the knockout stages as they lead the group on six points, while Costa Rica’s 3-0 win over Jamaica propelled them into second place on four points. Cuba sits third on a point, while the young Reggae Boyz, are yet to get on the board.
The young Reggae Boyz, looked much better than they did in a 0-9 trouncing to United States, but their misery continued on Monday at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya.
This, as they lost Makai Bond Welch to a straight red card in the 71st minute, while goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who ended the match with five saves, was consistently called upon to keep them in the game.
Grant made consecutive stops in the 19th to deny Esteban Cruz and Jose Pablo Aguero on the rebound. He also came up big to deny Walter Ramirez in the 30th minute and Alberth Barahona in the 45+3.
Jamaica got their efforts from Makai Bond Welch, who was denied by Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Berny Rojas in the 45+5, while captain Adrian Reid Jr’s shot from a distance went just wide as the score remained goalless at the break.
However, Costa Rica eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot as Claudio Montero converted in the 50th.
Andy Rojas doubled Costa Rica’s lead in the 67th with a laser-sharp effort from just outside the 18-yard box, which gave Grant no chance at a save.
After Makai Bond Welch was given marching orders, the Central Americans capitalised on the numerical advantage, as Andy Rojas completed his brace and the victory in the 83rd, when he fired home from Ramirez’s cross.
In the feature contest, Ethan Kohler opened the scoring for United States in the 15th, before Zavier Gozo added another in the 26th.
Taha Habroune put the three-time champions further ahead in the 58th, with Marcos Zambrano capping the win in the 90+1.
Despite the loss, Cuba still stands a chance of progressing should things play out in their favour in the final fixtures on Thursday.
This, as Jamaica will have to blank the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team by a wide scoreline to stand a slim chance of possibly securing one of the two best third-place spots up for grabs.
Meanwhile, a wide margin of victory for Cuba over their Caribbean neighbours could see them secure one of those two third-place slots or even second position, provided United States hammer Costa Rica in the top-of-the-table clash.
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