Mikel Arteta has just finished his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur. The sides are taking part in the first ever North London Derby played outside of the UK, with the showdown taking place at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Arsenal have so far defeated AC Milan and Newcastle United in pre-season and they will be intent on making it three wins from three in Asia before departing for London on Friday. During his time with the media, Arteta was asked about new signing Viktor Gyokeres and a potential debut for the Swede in the derby clash.

Injury news was also on the agenda, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori not involved in training, and Thomas Frank's Tottenham praise was also put to the boss. Here is every word Arteta had to say during his time with the media in Hong Kong:

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It's the first North London Derby outside of the UK tomorrow, it's still pre-season but how do you approach the game?

Well a great idea I think to bring football tradition, a rivalry, but at the same time to do it in a completely different country. I think it's brilliant. I think it's an opportunity for everybody to feel that and for us as well because for our preparation it increases the competition level again and it's a different challenge to the game and they're going to be so lucky to play in this incredible stadium with 50,000 people who I'm sure they're going to be super loud and passionate.

Where is Viktor in his preparation and does he have a chance for the game tomorrow?

Yes, I understand he's only done today's session and yesterday very little. We're going to assess tonight how he is and if the medical staff are happy as well with his condition to participate in tomorrow's match then it's a possibility. We're going to discuss that tonight.

And with the rest, everybody's going to be okay apart from big Gabi who is still out and Riccy it's probably going to be a bit too early for him tomorrow.

Last week you mentioned you felt you were short in the squad depth, with the announcement of Viktor Gyokeres do you still feel that sentiment. Secondly, what more is still needed if you feel that way?

I said that I was extremely happy with the way that we have approached the window and how aggressive we have been. There's still a long period still with the window open. So far we are very happy with what we've achieved and make sure at the end of the window we continue to be super happy.

Gyokeres took the 14 and he doesn’t seem concerned about that?

I use the word conviction and that’s the first thing that I noticed when I spoke to him. Someone very determined, someone that was already really attached to the club the way he was talking about the club, the history and in this case Thierry [Henry] and what the shirt represented. He straight away felt it, and when you feel it - go for it.

How is Hong Kong, you were a player when Arsenal last came here, do you remember anything that is the same from 13 years ago.

There are similarities, the city has changed a lot. I was one more time here. Very impressive. The most impressive thing is our supporters. How passionate they are, the way they ask things, they get so emotional, they spend so much time outside the hotel.

The way they receive the team yesterday was incredible. It makes us feel that all this trip is worth it as people deserve here to see the team as well.

Thomas Frank yesterday said that Arsenal are one of the best teams in the world, what do you think about Spurs this season?

Well that’s great to hear that especially from someone like Frank that I respect immensely. And with him and Spurs I think tomorrow we’re going to start to see the direction that he’s going to take with the team, implementing his vision his philosophy, and of course we need to be focused on what we want to do, what we want to achieve, and I’m sure it’s going to be a great game.

Does today and tomorrow show Viktor how big the club is?

I think it already has. When the news broke and then you realise the magnitude of the club that you’re going to be representing, and how viral everything goes so fast these days, I think his immediate reaction was, ‘Wow’.

And then he sees the way we are received again yesterday, at the training session that we just had with 20,000 people, the stadium was so loud for two hours, and 50,000 people will be in that incredible stadium tomorrow, so I think he’s going to have a very good first impression, that’s for sure.

What’s your goal next season?

To do better than the previous one, and I think we all know what that means. Again, I think everything this time in preparation, in terms of how we build the squad, in terms of how ready the team is going to be to start to compete from day one, and everything that we’ve seen so far - the feeling that I get straight away, is very very positive.