Mikel Arteta has insisted the Premier League remains the best league in the world despite Manchester City being found guilty of serious financial breaches.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges they faced relating to breaches of the league's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. The club have appealed that decision and maintain that the ruling contains "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe."
Arteta backs league's standing
It is unclear when a final resolution will come and whether it will cast a shadow over this season's title race. However, despite that possibility, Arteta defended the position of the league as a whole.
Asked if he still viewed the Premier League as the best in the world, Arteta replied: "100%." Pressed on how important the league's financial rules were, he added: "It is the best league in the world in my opinion, yes, for many reasons and as well because I've been here for over 20 years and it will continue to be the best league in the world."
"And again, I feel privileged to be where I am. The fact that there are other clubs that they've been extremely good at managing the resources in such an intelligent and efficient way is good because it has increased the competition and we saw that a few weeks ago already."
Arteta's City connections
Arteta was otherwise reluctant to engage with questions on the ruling against City. The Spaniard spent three years at the club as Pep Guardiola's assistant between 2016 and 2019 before he took charge at Arsenal. He also competed as an Arsenal player against City during the period in which they were guilty of the financial breaches, and has gone toe-to-toe with City as manager in titles races over the past four seasons.
"I think it's very important that we respect the process, the timelines, and it's still an ongoing process that is not resolved because it's been appealed," Arteta said. "My position, and I think the club's position, is not to make any further comments until this is fully resolved."
Arteta was also adamant that it was not a situation that he's had to address with his players since they returned from the international break. "There is nothing in our hands," Arteta said. "The only thing that we can do is focus on everything that we can do to be as we possibly can and to be better than any other opponent and that's where we put the energy."
When it was put to him that the league's integrity could be compromised if a final decision was not reached this season, Arteta responded: "The people are responsible to manage this process and to come to the right conclusions and I'm sure it will be done and it will be resolved in the right way. We have to trust that."
