Arteta targets early trophy as Arsenal prepare to face Man City in Community Shield

Mikel Arteta said on Friday he wants Arsenal to begin the new season by winning the Community Shield against Manchester City in Cardiff on Sunday. He added his players have returned refreshed and are highly motivated.

Arsenal, who finished last season as Premier League champions, will meet FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield. The club ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, but their campaign concluded with a defeat in the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. Arteta regards the Community Shield as a chance to move past that disappointment and to start the new campaign on a positive note.

Arteta told reporters on Friday: "It is a trophy, one that we can have because we earned it last year from winning the Premier League. You can tell how hungry the players are, which is a good sign. I love the way the players have come back, most of them earlier than expected. Really fit, we've done all the testing. They all seem in great condition."

The Arsenal manager said he was pleased with the mood around the squad after a busy summer in the transfer market. He said: "The moment they start to look at each other, I said: look at the squad that we have and what we're building. There's a lot of excitement. The best version of Arsenal has to be on Sunday. That's the intention. The best performance, the best way to start the season by lifting the first trophy. That's the way we've prepared for the season. On day one, be at our maximum level."

Arsenal have added to their squad during the summer, with Bruno Guimaraes joining from Newcastle United, while Christos Tzolis and goalkeeper Illan Meslier have also arrived. The club were linked with Brazil winger Vinicius Jr, but the 26-year-old decided to extend his stay at Real Madrid.

Arteta said the club remained active in seeking improvements and welcomed internal competition for places. He said: "It's a very exciting part of the season. There's an opportunity to evolve and understand how every player is feeling. We are trying the maximum within 13 or 14 days to compete for every possible position. I'm not going to talk about individuals. The ambition of the club is big. We want to improve and evolve the squad. We have detected the areas that can be strengthened."

The match in Cardiff on Sunday will serve as the traditional curtain-raiser to the new campaign, with Arsenal facing Manchester City in the Community Shield.