Arsenal are attempting to defend their Premier League title this season, but former Gunners star Paul Merson feels their squad isn't deep enough to compete across all fronts
Paul Merson
Paul Merson has given his take on Arsenal's squad depth(Image: Sky Sports)
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Paul Merson has told Arsenal that their failure to sign a world-class forward will cost them the chance to challenge for the Champions League trophy this season.
The Gunners made an attempt to lure Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid before failing to land top target Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. Mikel Arteta decided to sell attackers Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard, but only Christos Tzolis arrived this summer to bolster the front line.
It means Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are the only strikers in the squad, with Tzolis, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Max Dowman, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze as the other forward-thinking players.
Arsenal signed Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, Illan Meslier and Piero Hincapie this summer, but Merson feels the failure to add another attacker will leave them short of crucial depth as the season progresses.
"I think they win the Premier League," he said on Sky Sports. "But they'll be short in the Champions League because of that, not having that extra person up front. You look at Havertz and Gyokeres - I like those two but they're not going to give you sleepless nights.
"And you look on the left and you've got Tzolis and Eze. Eze is a good footballer, but I prefer him in the middle than out wide and Tzolis is an up-and-down, he does what he says on the tin: a very hard-working left winger who is a manager's dream.
"My picture is, when you're playing PSG, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan away, Real Madrid and Barcelona, I can't imagine the right winger tossing and turning in bed at night thinking 'I've got to play against him'. But I can see it when Vinicius Junior is playing for Real Madrid.
Vinicius Junior left winger of Real Madrid and Brazil celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Sevilla FC and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan
Vinicius Junior signed a new contract with Real Madrid after Arsenal's interest(Image: Getty)
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"I think that was the one. At the start of the transfer window when they went for Vinicius Junior - and it was serious, it was closer than what people think. I think they concentrated on that too much and things passed them by and they missed out on other people.
"I think that would have taken them to another level. You'd have looked at that and thought 'Arsenal are shopping in a different market to everybody else'. I think they'll be short. I like Bruno Guimaraes - he came on the other day, steadies things, plays nice one-twos. He's a good footballer.
"For me, they've done enough to win the Premier League again but I'd be surprised if they won the Champions League."
Asked if they should have challenged for Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea for £117m, or spent big on Vinicius, Merson replied: "I personally would have, especially getting rid of Martinelli and Trossard. I wouldn't have let Trossard go. He's a good football player and played in the big games.
"I always use the same thing: there's a company out there that sell more burgers and chicken nuggets than anyone else, but they still do adverts even though they're the best of the best at what they do. They still do adverts to let you know that. When you're at the top you buy players."
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