Jamie Carragher is hopeful that Arsenal’s transfer interest in Martin Zubimendi is a sign that Mikel Arteta is ready to abandon his safety first style of football.
The Gunners missed out on the title two years ago after they imploded during the run-in, largely as a consequence of their inability to protect leadsand gung-ho approach.
Arsenal ran Manchester City even closer last season as a more pragmatic approach came within a whisker of yielding the silverware that remains illusive.
Arteta and his side have retreated even further into their shells this term, with an overreliance on defensive solidity and set-piece prowess coming at the expense of the adventure and invention that made them such a thrilling, emerging side two years ago.
Arsenal to spend big this summer
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
With Andrea Berta, the club’s new sporting director, at the transfer helm, Arsenal are expected to undergo major surgery this summer.
A new centre forward is a priority with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko very much on the club’s radar.
The signing of Zubimendi, meanwhile, looks to be a formality and Carragher believes the Spain international midfielder’s arrival would represent the catalyst for much-needed change.
Assessing the moves Arsenal could make in the window over the coming months, Carragher told The Telegraph: ‘It is not as simple as saying ‘they need a prolific No.9’.
‘Liverpool do not have such a player – neither do Paris St-Germain – even if Slot obviously has an outstanding goalscorer in Mohamed Salah.
Do Arsenal really need a prolific striker?
‘Liverpool and PSG still create lots of chances and score plenty. Arsenal have scored only one more league goal than Tottenham Hotspur. That is not going to win you a big trophy.
‘It’s the area of the team Arteta will try to fix this summer, his targeting of midfielder Martin Zubimendi a signal that he wants to ease away from the reputation of being more defensively solid and add some of the swagger lost over the past 18 months.
‘To say his next transfer window might be the last chance sounds extreme. Arteta has so much credit in the bank, it is fair and right there is more resistance to managerial change at Arsenal than desire for it.
‘But no one understands better than him that all the goodwill for creating an Arsenal team capable of winning is gone.’
Arteta must deliver next season, otherwise his legacy will be years of groundwork for the benefit of a successor who will be asked to add the finishing touches.