Paul Merson will be 'SHOCKED' if Arsenal mount a Premier League title challenge in 2017/18
Posted Friday, July 14, 2017 by Talksport.co.uk
Arsene Wenger: The Frenchman has made two additions to his Arsenal team
Paul Merson admits he ‘will be shocked' if former club Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title in 2016/17.
Arsene Wenger broke the club's transfer record by bringing in Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for £52million, while bolstering their defensive ranks with Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer from Schalke.
Mesut Ozil looks set to sign a new contract at the Emirates, but Alexis Sanchez's future remains in limbo with 12 months remaining on his current deal.
The Gunners will be hoping to secure an immediate return to the Champions League after finishing fifth last season, and Merson does not think they will do much more.
"I will be shocked if there will be a title challenge in my opinion," he told talkSPORT's Ian Abrahams at the Soccer Sixes event.
"I think they are still short, I don't think they'll dominate games in midfield and they are not rock solid at the back, so for me that is the worry.
"Going forward I never have a worry because they make loads and loads of chances, at least they are dipping in their pockets and buying a better quality of player."
Sanchez, who is yet to return for pre-season after an extended break, has been in a contract stand-off with the club for some time.
A number of Europe's top clubs are said to be interested, including Pep Guardiola's Man City and Premier League champions Chelsea. While the French boss has refused talk of Sanchez leaving, he says the club will not sell to a direct rival.
"The thing with Sanchez," Merson says, "is that I just don't see Arsenal swallowing £50million and saying ‘stay until the end of the season'.
"You know what Arsenal are like and I just don't see [how] they will be able to turn down £50million. It will be interesting to see what they do, but at the moment he is an Arsenal player."
Alexandre Lacazette: The Frenchman made a goalscoring start to his Arsenal career
One player who will be key for Arsenal in the coming years is French striker Lacazette.
The 26-year-old earned his move after a number of prolific seasons in Ligue 1 with Lyon – he scored 37 goals and assisted five more in 45 appearances for the club in 2016/17.
Lacazette, who scored on his debut in the win over Sydney FC, moves ahead of Olivier Giroud in the pecking order in north London and Merson says he is just what they need.
"Lacazette is a goalscorer," he continued.
"He will suit Arsenal's system. They have always needed a natural goalscorer and that's what he is. The one thing he will do is get a lot of chances and he can score a goal, so I think he will be a success."
On comparisons with Arsenal legend Ian Wright, Merson added: "He has got big shoes to fill.
"If he gets anywhere near Ian Wright, then he will be a signing and a half, as I say he is a natural goalscorer and he scores goals.
"There is no better club to play for than Arsenal [when] they make more chances than anyone else."
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