Arsenal legend Paul Merson said bluntly on The Sports Agents podcast that if the Gunners can complete two blockbuster signings this summer, they will not only be well placed to continue dominating the Premier League next season but their prospects of winning the Champions League will also rise sharply. He named Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Désiré Doué as his targets, with a combined valuation of around £182 million.
Championship pedigree and Champions League regret
For the Champions League in the 2025-26 season, Arsenal's story was weighty enough yet left a clear gap. Arteta's side ended a 22-year wait for a Premier League title, an achievement worthy of the club's history books; but on the final stage, the Gunners battled Paris Saint-Germain all the way to a penalty shootout, eventually losing 4-3, one step from the summit of Europe. Merson judged from this that the team's overall framework is already solid enough, but if they are to deliver the "final blow" in higher-intensity competitions, the front line still needs upgrading.
According to renowned reporter Romano, at least three Arsenal signings this summer are "almost a certainty". With the Premier League title already won and finances and appeal both at a high level, Merson believes he would be "very shocked" if the Gunners "slipped back quickly after winning the title". His logic is straightforward: this is a side that can produce consistent 7-to-8-out-of-10 performances every week, with squad depth and execution already providing the foundation for sustained title challenges.
The gap in Merson's eyes: a striker who brings "electricity"
Despite his broadly high assessment, Merson still pointed out that Arsenal "most lack a fast centre-forward". Recalling the Champions League final, he said that if the Gunners had held on to win, not conceded that penalty and lifted the trophy 1-0, the match would have been hailed as a "textbook final"; because key moments were handled less than ideally, it only highlighted the value of a finishing striker. Merson stressed that signing a No. 9 who is "fast, with lightning-bolt impact" is the dividing line between being a "strong team" and a "dominant powerhouse".
From a tactical standpoint, Arteta’s system stresses high pressing, half-space penetration and quick transitions. The front line needs players who can shake off centre-backs in one move on the counter and still finish with quality in the box. The current setup is already elite for possession and wide progression, but the final defeat exposed a lack of reliability in the “last touch” at the highest level. Merson’s take essentially points to reinforcing both efficiency and pace.
Álvarez: Atlético’s core man, priced at £130m
Merson’s top pick is Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez. Reports put his market value at around £130m. Álvarez offers intelligent off-the-ball movement, second-ball duels and a poacher’s instinct, and can execute under pressure—traits that fit naturally with Arsenal’s high-pressing rhythm up front.
Atlético’s league campaign this season has been defined by possession dominance with fluctuating finishing efficiency. Data shows recent single-match possession rates often sitting in the 57%–61% range, pass completion at 85%–90%, and shots ranging from 8 to 15 per game—yet in some fixtures they have struggled to turn control into consistent goals. For Arsenal, signing Álvarez would mean more than adding a striker; it would add a match-winner who can change the scoreline in limited phases during Champions League knockout ties. Of course, a £130m price tag brings both negotiation difficulty and financial strain—one of the key risks to weigh in the summer window.
Doué: PSG’s new signing, Merson’s “second piece of the puzzle”
Merson also name-checked Paris Saint-Germain’s Désiré Doué. Reports put his transfer fee on joining PSG at around £52m. Young, with wing pace and the ability to cut inside and shoot, Doué could give Arsenal’s attack a different “speed plus technique” blend from a traditional No. 9. Merson went as far as saying that if Arsenal sign both Doué and Álvarez, “wow—I couldn’t imagine who could stop them.”
What needs to be understood is that Doué has only just settled in at Paris, and Arsenal and PSG went head-to-head in the Champions League final—so a cross-club raid is awkward both operationally and psychologically. On pure footballing logic, however, Merson believes Doué’s burst and change of direction would complement the existing front line, especially as a one-on-one outlet against deep, compact defences.
Plan B: Bournemouth starlet Kroupi
Beyond those premium targets, reports have also tied Bournemouth youngster Junior Kroupi to Arsenal, pitched as a more budget-friendly alternative. Bournemouth have drawn 1-1 repeatedly in the league lately, with the side still caught between survival and mid-table—a setting where a young striker breaking through often shows strong physicality and a poacher’s instinct.
For Arsenal’s hierarchy, Kroupi represents a low-cost, developable route; for the football side, the call is between immediate impact and investing in the future. Merson’s core ask has not shifted—whoever they sign, they need a fast striker who can take the last shot. If the budget tilts toward Álvarez and Doué, Kroupi is more likely to be depth than the main plan.
Summer-window impact: from Premier League defence to another Champions League push
On the table and as reigning champions, Arsenal already have the platform to defend their Premier League title next season. Merson’s view is that, barring a major slide, the Gunners are “well placed” to mount another Champions League run. Whether that holds will come down to the quality of this summer’s signings.
Romano’s talk of “at least three additions” lines up with Merson’s “pace-led No. 9 plus explosive attacker” brief. If the deals land, Arsenal’s attack could combine creation, speed, finishing and squad depth; if the window stalls, they may still be the Premier League’s biggest favourites, but in those decisive five minutes of a Champions League knockout, they could again face the old issue—chances in abundance, goals in short supply.
For fans and observers, three signals are worth watching closely from here: whether talks involving Álvarez and Doué move into a substantive phase; how the club balances an ideal plan at the £182 million level against Financial Fair Play and squad balance; and whether Arteta reshapes his front line after the penalty shootout disappointment in the Champions League final. What Merson offers is not an official transfer list but a mirror—one that shows exactly which piece a title-winning side still lacks before it can reach truly dominant status.
