Jamie Carragher says Arsenal may now need one of the world’s elite attackers to improve a squad that is already among the strongest in the Premier League.
The former Liverpool defender believes the league champions are missing a “gamechanger” capable of deciding important matches, despite their considerable strength in other areas of the team.
Arsenal were linked with Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior and Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez during the summer. However, neither transfer was completed, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side without the kind of headline addition Carragher feels could have significantly improved their chances of retaining the title.
“They needed someone to be a gamechanger. They tried to get Vinicius Junior, they tried to get Alvarez - that's the calibre of players.
“It's very hard to improve Arsenal now because they are such a good team, such a strong squad. So you're talking about a world class player as the only one that can improve them.”
The Gunners strengthened in several positions during the summer, bringing in Bruno Guimaraes, Piero Hincapie, Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier as they attempted to build a squad capable of defending their Premier League crown.
But they also allowed a number of attacking players to leave. Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus were among those sold, prompting concern from Arsenal supporters about whether the team has enough firepower to challenge at the top of the table.
Carragher said Arsenal do possess quality in the striker position, and expressed particular appreciation for Kai Havertz, while suggesting Viktor Gyokeres has broadly performed as expected since arriving.
“They have got really good strikers. I like Kai Havertz and I think Mikel Arteta likes him, as well.
“(Viktor Gyokeres) has been what most people felt he would be when he came -- not quite elite but he can still score goals in certain games.' Gyokeres has made just a single appearance so far this campaign and is yet to open his account.
Arsenal’s defensive unit is regarded as possibly the strongest in the world, according to the assessment in the discussion surrounding the team. The concerns instead centre on their attack, particularly after the departures of several forwards.
Carragher’s view is that Arsenal’s overall quality makes further improvement difficult. Rather than needing another squad player, he believes they would require a truly world-class footballer to make a meaningful difference.
With moves for Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez failing to materialise, Arsenal must now attempt to challenge for the title with the group assembled during the summer. Their defensive strength remains a major asset, but the lack of an attacking player capable of changing matches could harm their prospects of going all the way this season.