Cesc Fabregas believes old club Arsenal need to invest in a top-class striker this summer if they want to leapfrog Manchester City and win the Premier League title.
For the second year running, the Gunners fell just short of ending their 20-year wait to win the league after Pep Guardiola’s side won eight games in a row to claim their fourth straight title.
Arsenal mounted their challenge without an out-and-out goalscorer, with eight players scoring more goals than their top scorer, Bukayo Saka – who netted 16 times.
By contrast, City frontman Erling Haaland claimed his second consecutive Golden Boot after netting 27 times while Phil Foden (19 goals) also outscored any Arsenal player.
The north Londoners actually spent the second half of the season with Kai Havertz as a false nine, with more orthodox strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah only scoring four and five goals respectively.
Fabregas feels that is an area that must be addressed in the summer and has urged the Gunners to target a proven goalscorer, while he also feels the side need more depth too.
Asked on BBC Sounds’ Planet Premier League podcast if Arteta needs more cover or one or two top signings, Fabregas replied: ‘I think it’s funny because the other day you are watching both games at the same time and when you think about it you say, “Wow, Man City really have like two teams basically that could win the Premier League”.
‘Arsenal don’t in this regard, so for me it’s a bit of everything.
‘Yes, they do need a bit of depth to keep pushing, pushing, pushing during the season and not rely always on Saka or [Declan] Rice or [Thomas] Partey if he’s injured or not or on [William] Saliba.
‘But also, in my opinion – and he’s done really, really well but obviously it’s not his main position – Havertz, he’s had a fantastic season, but if Arsenal can manage to get a top, top striker that can guarantee you 30 goals a season, then they will be much, much, much closer to getting it [the title].’
On whether it was good to see Arsenal look so devastated to only finish second, Fabregas continued: ‘One hundred per cent, because that means they know the level that they are reaching is higher and higher and they want more and more.
‘Definitely this is what Arteta was looking for since he arrived, that they can be competing at the highest level, and they are doing it now. It wasn’t enough, because they are competing against a really good side, but they are showing signs better than last year, better than two years ago, so that means they are growing.
‘They are a very young side as well with a coach that, for me, is creating a monster. If Pep decides to leave next year, and Mikel continues at Arsenal the way they are going and signing intelligently and growing with the young players, I believe Arsenal can be the next top team in England.’
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