Arsenal require two players to finally lift them above Manchester City's individual quality after finishing Premier League runners-up for a second season running - according to Jamie Carragher.
Another crucial summer transfer window awaits the Gunners as they bid to craft a squad capable of eclipsing Pep Guardiola's behemoths. City have clinched an historic four Premier League titles on the bounce and six in seven years since the former Barcelona boss arrived in Manchester.
To end that dominance, as well as Arsenal's 21-year league title drought, Carragher believes Arteta needs to sign a new left-back this summer and a "great attacker" to support Bukayo Saka further forward.
"I think they [Arsenal] need two players," Carragher told Metro.co.uk. "They need a left-back and I think they need a great attacker."
Oleksandr Zinchenko was Arsenal’s main left-back last season but injury and mixed performances have left much to be desired from the position, with Takehiro Tomiyasu preferred to the former City full-back by the season's end.
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Zinchenko, 27, joined Arsenal in the summer of 2022 but has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium.
Further up the pitch, manager Mikel Arteta is afforded manifold attacking options in Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. Together, the Gunners' attack scored 91 goals in total last season, just five less than City. Their points total of 89 was one fewer than the Invincibles team managed in 2003-04, but the Premier League title still evaded them after a costly defeat against Aston Villa.
And Carragher believes Arsenal will once again be in the title race if they can secure another "top talent" to augment Saka's potential.
"In some ways, throughout a lot of the season, they were the best team," Carragher said. "When you look at the goals they scored, the xG difference and how strong they were defensively.
Carragher believes an additional top attacker to help Saka is key to Arsenal's Premier League hopes (Getty Images)"The problem is that Man City have the best players, they have individuals like Foden, Haaland and De Bruyne. Arsenal just don’t have that quality at that end of the pitch. That’s why they need a top attacking player."
He added: "Not necessarily a centre-forward. People keep saying they need a goalscorer. Sometimes you can have a goalscorer who plays wide. [Mohamed] Salah is like that for Liverpool. [Sadio] Mane was like that in the past. I just think they need another top attacking player to go alongside Bukayo Saka.
"Then one of the others can fill the other role – Martinelli, Trossard or Havertz. If they got another top attacker, you look at those five or six names, it is pretty tasty."
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