Arsenal will look to open the new season with silverware when they meet Manchester City in Sunday's Community Shield, as Mikel Arteta prepares his side for an early test of their ambitions.
The Premier League champions will face FA Cup winners City in Cardiff in the traditional season opener, with Arsenal aiming to carry their momentum into the new campaign after ending a 22-year wait for the league title.
Arsenal's previous season also ended in disappointment in Europe, with Paris St Germain beating them on penalties in the Champions League final. Arteta, however, believes his players have returned from the break in the right frame of mind and are already showing a strong desire to compete.
"It (the Community Shield) is a trophy, one that we can have because we earned it last year from winning the Premier League," Arteta told reporters.
"You can tell how hungry the players are, which is a good sign. I love the way the players have come back, most of them earlier than expected. Really fit, we've done all the testing. They all seem in great condition.
"The moment they start to look at each other, I said: look at the squad that we have and what we're building. There's a lot of excitement.
"The best version of Arsenal has to be on Sunday. That's the intention. The best performance, the best way to start the season by lifting the first trophy. That's the way we've prepared for the season. On day one, be at our maximum level."
The summer has also brought added competition within the Arsenal squad after the club strengthened in several areas during the transfer window.
Arsenal have made a number of key additions, led by midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, alongside Christos Tzolis and goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
The club were also linked with Brazil winger Vinicius Jr before the 26-year-old opted to extend his stay at Real Madrid.
Arteta believes the new arrivals can help push the squad forward as Arsenal seek to build on their progress and raise their level again this season.
"It's a very exciting part of the season ...," Arteta added. "There's an opportunity to evolve and understand how every player is feeling. We are trying the maximum within 13 or 14 days to compete for every possible position ...
"I'm not going to talk about individuals. The ambition of the club is big. We want to improve and evolve the squad. We have detected the areas that can be strengthened."