‘Solskjaer isn’t good enough & Chelsea are in turmoil’ – Arsenal hero hoping for top-four bid from Gunners

Arsenal have a chance to force their way back into the Premier League’s top four this season because Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “is not going to be good enough” and Chelsea “are in turmoil”, says Perry Groves.

The Gunners are preparing for a third successive season without elite European competition.

Arsene Wenger was moved on after seeing his faultless qualification record ended, while Unai Emery was unable to buck the trend in his debut campaign at Emirates Stadium.

Breaking back into the Champions League pack will not be easy, with there no elaborate summer spend on the cards in north London, but the struggles of rivals may work in Arsenal’s favour.

Groves believes that United will toil again with Solskjaer at the helm, while Chelsea are stepping into the unknown after turning to club legend Lampard for inspiration despite his lack of managerial experience.

An Arsenal legend told talkSPORT on what the 2019-20 campaign could hold for the Gunners: “I know we’re battling to be best of the rest again.

“Realistically, that’s fourth.

“Manchester United are in a bit of turmoil – Solskjaer is not going to be good enough.

“Chelsea are in a little bit of turmoil; they can’t sign any players, they’ve got Frank Lampard, and they’ve got young players coming in.

“So fourth place is really going to be competitive and I want us to be in a position to be able to compete.

“I know it shows how far we’ve dropped, competing for fourth place – but we’ve got to be realistic.

“And if they sign these younger players, hungry and with the right attitude, then as an Arsenal fan at the end of the transfer window I’ll think, ‘OK, we’re looking to go forward’.”

Arsenal are in the process of trying to tie up deals for Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney and Saint-Etienne defender William Saliba.

The latter appears to be edging closer to a move to the Emirates, while the Gunners are yet to agree a fee for the former.

Emery has expressed a desire to get big-money transfers over the line, with Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos another of those registering on his recruitment radar.