Mikel Arteta on Goalkeeper's Importance to Team

Mikel Arteta has played down talk of transfer “masterstrokes” but made it clear his goalkeeper has become one of the pillars of his team.

Speaking before this weekend’s league fixture, the Spanish coach refused to rank his signings or indulge in comparisons, yet he did not hide how central the keeper has become to his project.

Asked if the goalkeeper was the best piece of business of his tenure, Arteta replied: “I don't know – he's been a tremendous signing, there is no question about that. Whether he is the best or not is just an opinion. It doesn't matter, we are so happy to have him. He has elevated the team to a different level and now we have to maintain that level.”

The message was clear: labels can wait, standards cannot.

Arteta then turned to what he believes truly separates his No 1. Not just the saves. The mentality.

“I think it's his mentality,” he said. “David has tremendous quality but he has overcome a lot of difficulties and challenges to reach this point. It wasn't easy at the beginning, he had to dig in and prove himself. Now, he has the right to be one of the best.”

From early scrutiny to established leader, the journey has hardened the goalkeeper. Arteta’s challenge now is simple: keep him, and the team, operating at that “different level” when the pressure of the run-in bites again.