Arteta: I'm not too old for Arsenal

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta believes that he can still give a lot to the club despite his advancing age.

The 32-year-old has just one year left on his current contract at the Emirates Stadium and is keen to extend his stay but is well aware of the Gunners' policy of preferring short-term deals for veteran players.

While acknowledging the philosophy, Arteta argues that it might not be the best approach, though says that he would be glad to step aside if he could no longer compete.

"I don't know what is going to happen," he told the Daily Mirror of his future.

"With players over 30 they have a policy and I don't know if they plan to change it or maintain it. Depending on what their mind is, I will give them my opinion and how I see it.

"Yes, [we'll talk] this summer and see what they want to do. I'm relaxed because I am only going to stay here or wherever if they really want me to stay and I feel productive.

"The day I don't feel productive, the day I feel like I can't perform, I will be the first one to say: 'Listen, you have kids here of 25 much better than me; it's my time to move on.' They are not going to have a problem with me.

"I don't value players by age, whether it is Tomas Rosicky or Jack Wilshere. I analyse many other things before age. For me, a much bigger asset is someone who has played over 125 games in three years compared to someone who has played 25 and is 20.

"I understand the club’s point of view - 'Mikel is not a £25 million player because he is not 22 any more' - but I know what I can give so it is to find the right balance. It is something that we need to analyse and talk about."

Arteta has made 44 appearances for Arsene Wenger's side in 2013-14, with their season set to conclude with Saturday's FA Cup final against Hull City.

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Arteta : Bendtner is important to Arsenal

Nicklas Bendtner still has an important role to play in Arsenal's Premier League title charge, according to team-mate Mikel Arteta.

Bendtner scored inside two minutes on his first Gunners start in three years as Arsene Wenger's men comfortably saw off Hull City at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The Dane's improving form is a boost to Wenger's hopes of lessening the scoring burden on Olivier Giroud, as Arteta admits Arsenal will have to rotate their squad to stay top of the table.

He deserves it," Arteta told reporters of Bendtner's goal. "He has been working really hard. He joined us in pre-season and was rewarded. He got the chance and got a very good goal.

"The good thing is we can still rotate the squad and keep winning. The squad players can contribute and help the team be successful. Every member of the squad is important and Nicklas is no different.

"He is an Arsenal player and while he is here, he is 100 per cent here. I don't think he will be thinking of doing anything different because he likes playing here.

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Arteta : Manchester United will be title challengers

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta says he would be surprised if Manchester United failed to mount a Premier League title challenge this season.

Ahead of the Gunners' trip to Old Trafford, David Moyes's men sit eight points behind Arsene Wenger's side after 10 matches.

Arteta, who worked with the Scot at Everton, believes that United possess the players required to successfully defend their title this term and warns that it will be tough for Arsenal to secure three points in Sunday's clash.

"I am expecting them to be there because with the quality they have," the 31-year-old Spaniard told his club's official website.

"When you look at the squad, the players, the quality they have and experience as well. If you mixed that all together then obviously it becomes something good so I will be surprised if they're not.

"[Moyes] is a big winner and, for sure, they are looking much better now. They won a few games in a row and it will be tough to win there.

"It's another massive one and we had a few in the last few days. We will just get back and get ready physically for the next step because as you know it will be really hard against Manchester United."

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Arteta: It's a pity Arsenal didn't sign tremendous Suarez

Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta admits it is "a pity" for his side that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez did not move to the Emirates Stadium last summer.

The Uruguayan was the subject of repeated bids from the Gunners but the Reds blocked the move and he has since scored six goals in five games, with Arsene Wenger's men his next opponents.

And Spaniard Arteta has expressed his regret that Arsenal could not land Suarez's signature, suggesting that he is a "really good lad" deep down.

"It's a pity Arsenal could not get Suarez," Arteta told The Sun. "People don't know the real Luis.

"He's a really good lad. I know Suarez really well. He used to live in the next house to me and, whenever I've met him, he's always been really nice.

Arteta also praised the "character" shown by the Liverpool forward to return with such devastating effect after his lengthy suspension.

"He is a tremendous player and he has shown a lot of character to get back after getting criticised and on the front pages a lot," Arteta told the Daily Mirror. "He has gone on to produce some great performances and his goalscoring record is amazing.

"It was very difficult for him because he had a lot of people against him and he was under massive pressure.

Last summer, when everyone thought he was leaving, he still came back and put in some great performances. I like players like this. When they are on the floor and everyone is on them they stand up and prove themselves and I admire that."

Suarez missed months of action during his 10-game ban, incurred for biting the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, but Arteta sympathises with the forward after extensive criticism for his actions.

"I've seen a lot of things in my career, not only in matches but on the training ground against your own team-mates," the Spaniard added. "Everyone can lose it.

"I lost it once against Morten Gamst Pedersen. I poked his eye. Afterwards, I was like: 'What are you doing? This is stupid!' but you get upset, you get frustrated and you do some stuff. It's not right.

"He accepted it, he apologised and I think he did everything he had to do to try to learn from it in order to not do it again. Sometimes you do silly things in life. What you want to do is learn and not make them again."

After a tough summer on the transfer market, including their failed pursuit of Suarez, some pundits had backed Arsenal for a season of struggle but Arteta rejects the notion that such talk allowed the table-toppers to relax into their fine early form.

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