Paul Merson has questioned whether Arsenal did enough business in the transfer market to genuinely challenge for Champions League glory this season, according to Sky Sports.
Writing in his latest column, the Sky Sports pundit argued that the Gunners lack the kind of "X factor" signing that could elevate them above Europe's elite — namechecking the calibre of players like Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez as examples of the game-changing quality Arsenal are missing.
Merson's central criticism centres on the club's forward line, suggesting that Kai Havertz alone isn't enough to carry Arsenal's attacking threat at the top level. Despite Mikel Arteta's side having strengthened in other areas, the former Arsenal midfielder believes there's still a gap between this squad and the sort of team capable of lifting European football's biggest prize.
His comments come ahead of Arsenal's Champions League trip to face Napoli, a fixture Sky Sports will carry live commentary for via its app from 6pm.