Paul Merson believes Arsenal may find themselves just short of Champions League success once again. The former Gunners midfielder has high praise for Mikel Arteta's current squad, but insists that the club missed an opportunity to sign a star attacker over the summer.
Last season, Arsenal's journey in the Champions League culminated in a heartbreaking final against Paris Saint-Germain, where they ultimately lost on penalties. Now, the reigning English champions kick off their new European campaign with an away match against Napoli.
Merson shared his thoughts:
Arsenal's run to the Champions League final last season was magnificent. They will be contenders again, but I feel the club hasn’t brought in that player with the X-factor to take them to the next level.
I believe the current squad is capable of winning the Premier League. However, when you look at their attacking line against the top teams, it feels as though they’re missing a crucial piece.
If they had secured someone like Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez, it could have given them the edge needed to win the Champions League. In the end, I think they might just fall short again.
However, Merson did highlight the depth and reliability of Arteta's team. Over the summer, Arsenal strengthened their ranks with the signings of Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, and Christos Tsolis, spending around £160 million on the trio:
They’ve brought in some good players, but in my opinion, they could have taken one more step and secured a genuine superstar. That being said, their squad is incredible. They’re so dependable that it’s tough for opponents to even get a shot off, let alone score.
Merson also praised Arsenal's performance in their recent 2-1 victory over Chelsea. According to him, after Morgan Rogers scored just 77 seconds into the match, Xabi Alonso's side posed little serious threat to the reigning champions’ goal.
When discussing the title race in the Premier League, Merson named Arsenal as the clear favourites and expressed doubts about Manchester City's ability to reclaim their championship. He feels that Enzo Maresca’s team will compete with the Londoners but currently looks too vulnerable, allowing opponents to create numerous chances.
