Micah Richards has named former Manchester City star Julian Alvarez as the signing that can take Arsenal to ‘the next level’ next season.
The Gunners ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title in May, the culmination of an eight-year project in north London overseen by Mikel Arteta.
There was the prospect of more silverware. Arsenal fell short in the Carabao Cup final in March and suffered a shock elimination against Southampton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Having gone unbeaten in Europe all season, they met Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, taking the lead after just six minutes in Budapest. The night ended in heartbreak with a missed penalty from Gabriel Magalhaes ensuring the trophy will remain in the French capital for another year.
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While the Champions League was decided on the finest of margins, Arsenal plan to continue building this summer to go that one step further next season.
Having already assembled one of the strongest squads in Europe, the Premier League champions are looking to strengthen at right-back, central midfield, left wing and up front with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Ben White among those who could leave.
Having watched his old City side relentlessly strengthen over the years as champions, Richards has warned Arsenal ‘not to rest on their laurels’ and secure a statement signing that fits what Arteta demands from his team.
With the club’s attack not quite as fearsome as PSG’s and City’s, the former defender believes a sensational swoop for Atletico Madrid star Alvarez would go some way in bridging the gap.
‘I don’t think they need a superstar signing for the sake of it. They have got to fit into what Mikel Arteta wants,’ Richards told Metro.
‘If they could get one of those signings over the line that would be a real statement of intent. They can’t rest on their laurels, they need to go again. They should be looking at Alvarez at Atletico Madrid.
‘Yes, [Viktor] Gyokeres has done well in spells, [Kai] Havertz has scored important goals. But you need to go to the next level. When you look at what PSG have in terms of their forward line, look at what Man City have, Arsenal need to get to that next level and get whoever they want. They are challenging on all fronts now so it would be nice for the fans to have that statement signing.
‘They only need one or two but they need to be high quality. It is no longer the case of needing squad players. I think the balance is just about right as it is and we knew for the most part what the best starting XI would be. But they can go one step more to make sure they are constantly challenging.’
Gyokeres scored 21 goals in his first full season at Arsenal but was left on the bench for the Champions League final with Havertz given the nod ahead of him.
Any move for Alvarez would likely require Arsenal to break their transfer record with reports in Spain suggesting Atletico would demand up to €150million (£130m) if forced to let him go.
Micah Richards has teamed up with meat snack brand Peperami for its Be Bold. Be Meaty campaign. He is fronting a major social-first content series set to air during the World Cup, as well as supporting the launch of the new Peperami x Doritos BBQ Sweet Tang limited edition range.