Arsenal's transfer priorities are putting their 2025-26 season in danger - Mikel Arteta NEEDS new forwards instead of more defensive reinforcements

Arteta, unlike his team on the pitch, was clinical with his assessment of last Wednesday's 2-1 second-leg defeat to PSG. He was again asked about the squad's lack of a recognised, prolific goal-scorer.

"I understand that," he replied. "I think the narrative comes up and when you have generated, for example, these five expected goals and we score one goal, it's normal that it’s going to happen. But we look at the things obviously with much more data and much more resources than many people, but a lot of people have very good intuition about what is needed and it's good to listen to those opinions.

"For me it's crystal clear what we have to do, to be better and to increase the probability [of winning]. Nobody can say 'you do this and you win the league, or you win the Champions League'. No manager, no owner is going to sit in a press conference in front of everybody and say that, because the margin is so small, and not only that but a lot of things have to go your way to achieve that."

So it appears Arteta is wary of the problems Arsenal are suffering from and believes he knows how to rectify them then. That should put Gooners at ease, you'd assume.

Prior to Sunday's trip to Liverpool, Arteta also recognised that Arsenal had come into the season without the requisite depth to realistically compete for all honours.

"We knew from the beginning of the decision that our squad was super-short and being super-short we had some players that had a high probability of getting injured, because that's what they had in the last few seasons," he claimed. "So we knew that and we cannot do anything about it. But that (availability) is a big thing to win trophies, you know, and Liverpool did that extremely well. They managed to maintain that consistency, that level of players, a system, a coach, a stadium that has created again, and consistently, an incredible atmosphere for them.

"So you need a lot of ingredients or you don't win the Premier League. That's the difficulty of it, and it's true that this season we never found that consistently because of the issues that we had."

It has been further reported that part of the rationale behind this decision was down to Arteta preferring to work with a close-knit group. Now into his fifth full season as manager though, the makeup of this squad is entirely his own and any shortcomings of its construction should be taken back to him.

If Arsenal knew they would be 'super-short', then they can actually do something about it, regardless of what Arteta says publicly. Availability was in their favour from 2022 to 2024, yet they couldn't take advantage. Sure, he's right that it is tough to be top dogs because you do need more factors to go your way, but this was definitely an element within their control.

Arsenal have already dipped their toes into the summer transfer window with a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi reportedly agreed, which will set them back around £51 million ($67m). The 26-year-old is a fine player and will fill a hole in the squad being left by the departing Jorginho, representing an upgrade too on the veteran Italian.

Another player heavily linked with the Gunners is Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who would cost in the region of £30m ($40m). Again, a fine player who has huge potential, but in this case not someone who should be anywhere near the top of Arteta's list of priorities, particularly as they already have a top shot-stopper in David Raya. Talks have also been held with in-demand Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, which could bring about questions over William Saliba's long-term future amid interest from Real Madrid.

Arteta's core group of players doesn't have much wiggle room in terms of finding players who can be sold to boost their transfer budget even before you factor in Jorginho and Thomas Partey's impending free agency. If they're starting their search for at least one elite attacker down £80m, how much more could they realistically be willing to part with before looking at other areas of the squad?

Keeping the band together would be wise, and so news of a potential contract extension for Leandro Trossard wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world if the length of that prospective deal wasn't until 2029. By that point, the Belgian will be 34. Though still a useful if frustrating player, he is clearly in decline and not getting any younger.

Maybe this is part of a masterplan to sell Trossard later down the line to at least get some sort of fee for him - his current contract is up in 2026. Still, anything Arsenal do receive for him from this point onwards probably won't move the needle that much when it comes to the grand scheme of their transfers.

Trossard's position as a left winger who can play up front is surely - surely - a profile that Arsenal will be looking to recruit this summer, while there has been little to suggest they will completely part company with the incumbent Gabriel Martinelli. Again, perhaps this is all a long game that we as the public aren't privy to the details of. The optics just seem confusing, is all.

It's obvious why Arteta was probed about Arsenal's lack of signings in the striker department since his arrival. The only incoming in that area has been Gabriel Jesus, considering the club made a big song and dance that Kai Havertz was definitely a midfielder at the time of his arrival.

This seeming reluctance to buy another centre-forward could come down to how unique a role it is in Arteta's eyes. When Jesus, maligned and a bit-part player at Manchester City for many years, rocked up to N5 in 2022, he looked like the second coming of Ronaldo Nazario. He brought joy and wonder, the central figure in the Premier League's most dynamic and devastating attack. Havertz, post-conversion to a No.9, is far more clunky, and his spiritual successor, actual central midfielder Mikel Merino, is more of a target man type.

The simple theory is if Bukayo Saka had a competent forward waiting in the penalty area, he would consistently supply him and they could combine for an endless amount of goals. Arteta, as explained after the PSG defeat, doesn't quite see that as the golden ticket to glory.

It would negligent malpractice for Arsenal to go another window without acquiring some sort of upgrade in the final third. Most of their reported targets, such as Newcastle's Alexander Isak, Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, are going to have multiple suitors. Time is of the essence even before the window officially opens.

There is always a discussion to be had about Arsenal, always some point of debate or contention. Going another season without tangible success will leave them vulnerable to the wolves of criticism without much of an out, not into this stage of the project.

Arteta admitted post-PSG that his team need to be more decisive in both boxes. They have already proven they can shut up shop, but that spark in attack is missing and is unlikely to be rediscovered without outside help. Arsenal can't hide from the fact they require ingenuity, flair and precision in the opposition's penalty area any longer.

Beyond those external solutions, Arteta and Co must also look inward. Captain Martin Odegaard, for example, can't have a repeat of this season next term. Going from a Player of the Year contender to a frail playmaker without bite or bark has been an understated part of Arsenal's 2024-25 story.

If Arsenal suffer another injury crisis, then maybe it would be time to pick apart Arteta's methods in that regard, but it cannot be definitively said how much he is to blame at this point and so he should be spared from that criticism. Regardless, it's an excuse that won't fly with the wider world for a second successive year. This is going to be the club's most important summer in a generation, one way or another.