Mikel Arteta was back in front of the media for his pre-Bournemouth press conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre on Friday.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, our manager was asked for the latest team news, his thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager and more.

Here’s everything he had to say on the following subjects.

on Saka’s availability:It’s not a serious injury. He’s evolving really well. He’s done a few things in the last two days. He wasn’t fit enough to play with the national team the second game but we are hopeful. We have a training session this afternoon, he did some bits yesterday, so let’s see if he can make it on time.

on Havertz’s fitness:He had a few issues and we’ve been dealing with that. He’s been absolutely brilliant, he has very good communication with the national team, with the manager. They understood the situation, we modified everything that we could do here and again if he trains well today he’s got a good chance to be fit and available.

on Martinelli:Well with Gabby he landed yesterday afternoon here so we have very short time to be with him. Yesterday he went outside to do a little bit and see how he’s feeling. Again today will be another step to understand whether we want to take the risk if he’s fit because I know what the player is going to say - ‘I’m going to be fit for sure’.

on Odegaard’s progress:I think he’s not going to be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story, but again, in that later stage of rehab where he is at the moment, because he’s doing already a lot of the stuff, he needs to clear some markers, he needs to clear certain things, he needs to be comfortable doing especially with the ball. I think next week will be crucial to understand how close he is.

on White, Timber and Zinchenko:They are quite close, the three of them. Again today we’re going to have to try to push and see how it is because obviously we are getting stronger with the numbers, especially in our right side, but hopefully we have some positive news today and we have some players back for tomorrow.

on how Havertz has changed since his first goal at Bournemouth last season:I think that was a turning point, for sure. The players took ownership, which is the best thing. They decided to do something for the player. That straight away made him feel special, it made him feel respected and admired. Everybody was willing and wishing the best for him. He delivered. That day, the connection towards the supporters went to a different level as well and everything started to click. Since then, the story is unbelievable. His involvement in every match, what he produces to help us win matches is incredible and very positive obviously.

on him embodying what the courage, resilience and respect that this club is about:Absolutely. I think he’s an amazing role model, the way he behaves every day, the way he is as a person, the way he lives his life. How much he loves to play football to compete. Again, part of that at this level is to handle and manage difficult situations. I think he’s an amazing example of that.

on Thomas Tuchel becoming the England manager and what our internationals can learn under him:They’re going to learn a lot. I think he’s one of the best coaches in the world in my opinion, without a doubt. His experiences, the way his teams are set up, very exciting times. I have spoken to a few of the players and they had a smile on their faces which is always a good sign.

on Partey’s fitness:Yes. Thomas is fit, yes.

on getting Havertz to fulfil his potential:We believed that he could do it. He had qualities that we were certainly lacking but it was a big question mark because he wasn’t producing what we required at this level a year ago, two years ago. We believed that a change of environment could affect him in a really positive way. You have a player that is going to try his very best to try and accomplish the objectives and then you have to make it work. It was a difficult start, but at the moment we’re in a great place.

on his concern having not kept a clean sheet in the last three league games:Well especially the way we have conceded certain goals, with the little things that we have conceded to go and concede those goals. There is room for improvement there, it’s about being very consistent and making sure that we play with a level of urgency, cohesion and focus in the reaction, because in the last few games, especially at home, we have conceded goals that I wasn’t very happy with.

on Bournemouth’s biggest threat:They are very well coached and they are super intense, really competitive and a clear idea as to how they want to do it. They should have had different results in my opinion, especially against the big teams and away from home. They’re going to be a big challenge and we’ll have to be at our best tomorrow.

on an English coach not becoming England manager:I understand opinions and the feelings but that’s a responsibility for the FA to say that the first filter is only English managers or whether it’s any manager from any country and to select the best in the moment that we are in right now. I understand that it can feel sad for some people not to have an English manager, and the history tells you how important this could be, but I think I would take a lot of pride that a lot of managers will do anything to become the England manager. That’s related to how we are treated in this country, how much we love the passion, the respect, the history and the way things are done here. I can say personally, you feel so related to where you are, even if you are not from here and I think that’s a huge thing.

on if Mikel would only want to manage Spain at international level:I’ll tell you right now, the feeling I have, this is like home. I’ve been here 22 years and I have that feeling towards it because I always feel respected, welcomed and inspired by this country, by the legacy and the history of football and how you get treated daily.

on Jack Wilshere’s coaching ability:He’s been great – obviously, everyone knows about the career, about his character, and he’s a really special personality. His attachments to the football club – he’s unique, he has this aura, this charisma, the way he connects to the club and to the people. Since he’s come here, he’s had a real impact. He’s been a real inspiration for the kids because of his history with the club and the way he did it, in the manner that he did it. What comes next is his decision and the club’s as well.

on categorising upcoming matches into sequences of opponents:We try to plan in the international breaks what we’re going to have next, what are the similarities of those things and with the limited time that we have, what are the patterns, what are the things that are going to be efficient that we can work on in the majority of the matches. For the next one, it’s a bit different to the previous one, especially because we play certain games at home and then away, and the sequence is a bit different, but it’s true that the weeks are going to look different. We’re going to have more -2 and -1s to train compared to the previous one, so yeah, [time to] adapt.

on the challenge of efficiency:Seize an opportunity, you know that after analysing everything, how can we simplify the game in a really efficient way to be super clear with the team, what is required in that specific moment to be better than the opponent and win the game.

on if Odegaard can return before the next international break:Yes, hopefully yes.

on if Tomiyasu had a setback on his knee injury:We don’t know that. It doesn’t hopefully look like a long period [out], but we have to see when he comes back and how he reacts to the load and to the impact on the pitch as well. We really need him, he’s been incredible. The work rate, the amount of hours that he’s put in to get back – he did it -  and was in great shape and then picked up something. We’re all behind him, he needs our support and hopefully he’ll be fine.

on if the FA spoke to Mikel about the England job:No, I didn’t speak to the FA! I’m not one of those 10.

on if he might go into international management one day:I haven’t thought about it right now, with all the responsibilities and the amount of things that we want to achieve, and do here. At the moment, I’m not thinking about it.

on if the team is in a better place now mentally to handle three games in eight days:

We certainly have more experience to do that. During the previous period, we showed that and in very specific circumstances and different contexts, we were able to perform and get results that we wanted. Now, we have a different challenge and availability is going to be key as well because we need certain players back as quick as possible, some very important ones as well that are going to make the process better and more efficient.