Ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is fully expecting Gunners boss Mikel Arteta to guide his team to a top-four finish this season.

After reinforcing the squad during the summer transfer window, Wenger says he is convinced his former club can do well and he thinks Arteta’s side could exceed all expectations :

“I think there is a good team spirit and they have a good chance to do well. I believe it will not be very difficult to improve on the number of points they got last season. But I’m convinced Arsenal can be in the top four, if not more. Why not more?”

“They can be the surprise package for me this year: they bought well, they strengthened the defence well. And they kept the players who were already there. In my last year I bought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, they kept him. They have every ingredient and no real weakness.”

There is no doubt that the additions of Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes and Willian, as well as keeping Aubameyang, have strengthened Arsenal’s squad. Wenger is certainly right to point out that things are moving in the right direction.

The Gunners should have the players to better their eighth-place finish from last season, and a top-four spot is certainly a realistic proposition, considering the difficult start clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea have made.

Of course, Arteta will need to show his new-look team can be a lot more consistent in order to achieve that goal but, as Wenger says, he now has a great squad of players to choose from.