Ian Wright warns Arsenal of Chelsea threat in Premier League title race and insists Gunners need more marquee signings

Arsenal kicked off their season in style with an emphatic victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield, but Wright remains unconvinced that the squad is fully prepared for the long haul. Despite the arrivals of Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes, the former striker insists that Mikel Arteta needs more elite quality to reach the next level.

"Arsenal still have a lot of business to do and things have been slow up to this point. I know the World Cup would have had a big effect on that, but as we know how important it is to start this league strong, the sooner those new players can come in, the better," Wright told Metro.

"We heard what the manager said after the Champions League final defeat about what was needed for the next level for this club so that’s what we are going to hold the club to."

While Arsenal are widely considered favourites to retain their title, Wright has identified a potential threat from West London. After a disappointing tenth-place finish last term, Chelsea have undergone a managerial change with Alonso taking the reins. Wright suggests that the Blues' lack of European football could be a decisive advantage, allowing them to focus entirely on domestic matters and mount a serious challenge for the top prize.

"City, Chelsea and Liverpool all have new managers, which makes all of them a bit unknown," Wright explained. "It’s a huge transition season for City: no Bernardo Silva, Stones, Pep and Rodri. But they have Haaland, and that’ll take you far regardless of other issues."

He added: "I fancy Chelsea to challenge if Alonso gets a good start and is able to make them more solid defensively. He’s brought in some experienced players, which they’ve needed for a while. I can see them getting into a good rhythm without European football."

Wright also kept a close eye on the mid-table teams that could disrupt the established order. He highlighted Oliver Glasner’s Nottingham Forest as a side to watch.

"I’ll have my eye on Nottingham Forest now that Oliver Glasner has come in," Wright added. "They have a lot of talent which they have held onto, Glasner is a very good coach, and they have made a couple of good signings. Teams like Brighton, Bournemouth and Sunderland have Europe to contend with, which could affect them in the league to Forest’s advantage."

"Spurs also have one game a week and have made big improvements. They probably still need a goalscorer but I’d expect them to shoot up the league."

Away from his tactical analysis, Wright has been vocal about his desire to see football return to its more emotive roots. He is currently supporting a campaign to stop yellow cards for shirt-off celebrations.

Reflecting on his own career, Wright remembered: "I’d say the one when we played Aston Villa, with my 'I love the lads' t-shirt. Things were just starting to happen, we were making great moves as a team and I was having a great time with the boys; it was brilliant. That’s probably my best one. Every time I see the picture I get the feeling of the dressing room and the joy we shared."