Arteta determined to bring European football back to Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has expressed his desire to get Arsenal back in Europe after the Gunners finished outside the continental competition spots in the Premier League last season.

The north Londoners finished eighth in the league after a very testing campaign.

Their best chance of bringing Champions League football back to the Emirates was through winning the Europa League. However, they were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners Villarreal.

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Having no European football this term is potentially a good thing as Arteta looks to improve on last season’s league finish.

As well as this, the Spaniard noted his family are happy to see him more often as he doesn’t have to travel and manage abroad this season.

Despite this, Arteta is determined to get Arsenal back into Europe.

“Maybe my family and my kids are happy because they see me more, but I want to be playing in Europe, to be competing there,” he said.

“Every time I hear the Champions League music, my stomach hurts and it is not where we want to be. It is not something that I enjoy.

“We have to make the most out of it because we have more time during the week to prepare for the game at the weekend, but it is certainly not where we want to be.”

Arteta continued: “It gives you more possibilities and to plan a little bit more.

“We are trying to get use to that, to maximise the weeks as much as possible to get with the right freshness mentally and physically with the ideas we want to execute in games.”

Gunners defender Ben White is in line to face his old club, Brighton, on Saturday, having left the Seagulls for £50million in the summer.

Arteta feels the 23-year-old has the potential to become one of the best.

“We bought him because we believe that he can be extraordinary,” the Arsenal boss said.

“He does not have that much experience in the league still, so he is not mature in that sense, but he has already shown his qualities and what he can do.

“The way he is adapting to us is impressive so the potential is there. It is how we can fulfil that and help him to do so.”