Mikel Arteta reportedly held crunch talks with five Arsenal players after becoming the club's permanent manager.

The former midfielder was appointed as the club's boss last month following the decision to sack Unai Emery back in November.

Arsenal's performances have improved since the Spaniard's arrival, with the Gunners claiming an impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United on New Year's Day.

According to ESPN, Arteta spoke with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka and Alexandre Lacazette about maintaining particular standards soon after his appointment.

The manager has made it clear that if any player's standards drop below 100%, they will be dropped, regardless of who they are.

Since Arteta's appointment, Arsenal players have not had a day off, with the former Manchester City assistant working hard on collective shape and the team's medium block over the Christmas period.