Arsenal lost 2-3 to Villarreal in a friendly at home, thanks to goals from Nergaard and Ødegaard. Arsenal manager Arteta said it was important for new signing Džekeres to start and build rapport with his teammates, and he believed the striker would be in excellent form to help the team compete.

The 27-year-old Džekeres officially joined Arsenal last month and signed a five-year contract.

Arsenal manager Arteta said in an interview, "We have taken the first step because I think it is very important to start him. This will help him start to feel the rhythm of the game and build a tacit understanding with the team. He has only been with us for about a week, but I have seen a lot of positive things and clear goals, especially in the way he attacks certain gaps."

"I can see in every training session that he has a good feel and has built relationships with his teammates off the court, which is very important to help him get into the position he needs to be in. Physically, he hasn't really trained with the team for two months and only completed five or six training sessions before this game. But I think he will take another step forward and be in better shape."

In addition, Arsenal will host Bilbao at home in the Emirates Cup, and in the first round of the 2025/26 Premier League, Arsenal will go to Old Trafford to challenge Manchester United.

Asked if he thinks Čikereş is ready for the new season, Arteta said: "Mentally and tactically, I think he will be 100 per cent or more ready because he is very positive, confident and believes that he can make a positive impact, and I have no doubt that he will be in a very good condition."

“The next game will be the last warm-up match, and the week after that will be all about preparing for the league opener against Manchester United. The result of this game is painful. The opponent was very efficient, and we were a bit naive in defending, especially when playing like we did. This aspect must be improved.”

As for whether they are ready to challenge for the Premier League title in the new season, Arteta said, "We have been working hard in the past three years, and this is the next goal. We know what we need to do and we will get better. Look at our competitors, they are also strengthening their lineups, and the quality of the players they recruit is very high. We are all working hard to do our best and are ready to compete for the Premier League title."