Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit believes the Gunners are still shy of two new signings if they are to successfully challenge Manchester City this season, despite spending well over £200m already this summer.
"They have analysed really well what was missing in the team. Arteta and his staff know exactly what they want on the pitch, both individually and collectively, and they have chosen the right profile for every position.
"So far they have done well in the market, but I think they need at least two more players to reduce the gap with Manchester City."
Having won a famous double with the North London giants in the late-Nineties, Petit knows precisely what it takes to last the distance and though he was hugely impressed by Mikel Arteta’s side last term, he was perturbed to see fatigue set in towards the end, as a slender squad ran out of steam.
Full Time Result - Draw
Both Teams to Score - Yes
So which positions most need strengthening to allow Arteta to rotate and keep his roster fresh across an incredibly demanding ten months?
"I would love to see someone who can compete with Martinelli. Saka on the right has competition with Trossard and I bet a lot on Smith-Rowe. Last season he struggled and he will be like having a new player in the squad.
"But I still believe they need greater competition because some of the players who played more than 50 games looked tired. They looked heavy. And now they have the Champions League too.
"Martinelli is the only one on the left and I’d also like one more midfield player. For me that’s the minimum.
"I know they’re being linked to some midfield players. My dream would be Caicedo and I’ve been saying that now for two years. He can play different positions. He will bring anger onto the pitch."
It has been reported that Brighton’s brilliant young powerhouse would cost north of £100m, an eye-watering figure Arsenal have already invested this summer in West Ham’s Declan Rice.
Unsurprisingly, it was for a club record fee.
On securing the England star, Arteta described the 24-year-old as Arsenal’s ‘lighthouse’, a metaphor Petit approved of.
"He’s a lighthouse because of his position as a holding midfielder. He has to help the defence and win the ball back as quickly as possible. To keep control and provide balance in the midfield.
"And as well as that, he is a leader on the pitch with a very good reputation and mentality. He will be the light in the dark and we’ve seen that at West Ham and for his country."
There is no doubting Rice’s ability, nor his capacity to influence games at the highest level. Yet still, that enormous price-tag cannot be ignored. Might it weigh heavy on the player next season?
"He has been under pressure for four or five years now. And the way he has established himself with England, against all that competition. For me, that proves he has real quality as a human being and a player as well.
"I think he is strong enough, and intelligent enough, to step back sometimes and not look at the price-tag. And though it’s weird for me to say this but £100m is nothing these days."
Post-retirement, Petit became a respected pundit on French television but he remains an ardent Gooner after spending his prime playing years at Highbury under Arsene Wenger.
It goes without saying therefore that the World Cup winner immensely enjoyed most of last season, watching his former side race into a healthy lead at the top and stay there almost for the duration until a late collapse.
What will it take for Arsenal to reach the next level, and go toe-to-toe with Manchester City right through to May?
"They did really well last season. I was not harsh on them when they lost the plot in the last few weeks. I heard that (Gabriel) Jesus said in a newspaper the other day that they suffered from the pressure. Maybe.
First Goalscorer - Gabriel Jesus
"But the quality and quantity of the squad cannot be compared to Manchester City and what Arsenal did last season was amazing. Especially considering where they’ve come from in the last few years.
"To be honest with you, I don’t know if they can close the gap. I think it’s too early. I do think the Champions League games will be very interesting to watch.
"If they can increase their level internationally, against the best players in different leagues, that experience will help them compete against City. Then maybe the season after, who knows?"
After leaving Arsenal for Barcelona in 2000, the midfielder was soon back in the Premier League with Chelsea, a club that has recently veered from chaos to crisis, and back again.
What has Petit made of a crazy twelve months at Stamford Bridge?
"I would be a genius if I could tell you right now who will be in the starting eleven for Chelsea on the opening day of the season.
"Thirteen players have left already and they still want to show the door to some more. It’s funny to say this after they have spent such a huge amount of money – more than £600m in a year - but they’re still missing midfield players.
"They have four or five but some are very young with no experience. So Pochettino will just want to have a group he’s happy with before the start of the Premier League."
Mention of the Blues’ latest gaffer Maurico Pochettino leads to an inevitable question about whether the Argentine will be given sufficient time to alter Chelsea’s fortunes, which in turn takes us to the root of their problems, and how it can be resolved.
"Stability. That’s the first word that comes to my mind. Stability on and off the pitch. So many managers on the bench.
"So many players coming in and out. So many people coming into the office, then leaving the club. Chelsea needs stability.
"That means sticking with your manager. Even if they get bad results, you don’t move him on after six months. The same goes for the players. I have the feeling that whenever there is trouble at Chelsea heads always roll."
Outright Winner - Arsenal Fc
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
