The pressure is mounting at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal’s trophyless 2024/25 campaign draws to a close, and legendary midfielder Graeme Souness has issued a stark warning to manager Mikel Arteta: sign a world-class striker this summer or face the sack. The Gunners’ 3-1 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals exposed a glaring weakness in their attack, leaving Arteta’s side without silverware since the 2019/20 FA Cup. Souness, never one to mince words, insists that Arsenal are tantalizingly close to greatness but lack the clinical edge needed to compete with the elite. As Arteta prepares for a pivotal transfer window with new sporting director Andrea Berta, the clock is ticking to address the squad’s missing piece and secure his future in North London.
Arsenal’s journey under Arteta has been one of remarkable transformation. Since taking the helm in December 2019, the Spaniard has overhauled a stagnant squad, nurturing talents like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard while adding steel with signings like Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. The Gunners’ 89-point haul in the 2023/24 Premier League season was a testament to their progress, yet falling short to Manchester City highlighted the need for a killer instinct. The 2024/25 season, despite a run to the Champions League semi-finals, has been marred by inconsistency, with injuries to Saka and Gabriel Jesus exposing a lack of depth up top. “Arsenal will not beat their biggest rivals to the big trophies unless they find a goalscorer and greater creativity in that final third,” Souness declared, pinpointing the absence of a reliable finisher as the club’s Achilles’ heel.
Souness’ critique comes with a sense of urgency. “How long does Mikel think he has got? He has got to be thinking: if I don’t win trophies within the next 12 months, I could be down the road and out of a job here,” he warned, emphasizing that Arteta’s five-and-a-half-year tenure, backed by £650 million in transfers, demands results. The former Liverpool captain highlighted Newcastle’s Alexander Isak as the ideal candidate, arguing, “Put Isak in that Arsenal team—because he’s the player they want to buy this summer—and you are looking at a side who would be the finished article and ready to get their hands on either of the two big trophies.” Isak, 25, has dazzled with 10 goals in 15 Premier League games this season, and his potential arrival could transform Arsenal’s attack. However, Souness cautioned against hesitancy over age or league pedigree, stating, “For me, 27 is a great age to be getting a striker, so that shouldn’t be up for debate.”
Arteta, for his part, is acutely aware of the challenge. “It’s going to be a big one [summer], and we are very excited about it,” he said in April, signaling his intent to bolster the squad’s depth and quality. The arrival of Berta, who built Atlético Madrid’s formidable squads under Diego Simeone, has raised expectations for a bold transfer strategy. Yet, internal debates persist, with some at Arsenal questioning whether Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, another target, fits their youth-focused profile at 27. Souness dismissed such concerns, urging, “Mikel is not in a position to wait for someone of better age profile. He needs a finisher immediately, as in now, for next season.” The club’s financial health, bolstered by Champions League revenue and the potential departure of high earners like Thomas Partey, offers a reported £80-100 million net transfer budget to pursue a marquee signing.
Fans have taken to social media to echo Souness’ sentiments, with one supporter pleading, “Arteta needs to listen—get Isak or Gyokeres, or we’re stuck in second gear.” The Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle, where Arsenal dominated possession but failed to score, underscored the urgency. Arteta’s claim that his side were “the best in the Champions League” after the PSG defeat drew skepticism, with Souness countering, “The top teams put the ball in the back of the net when it really matters.” As Arsenal trail Liverpool by 12 points in the Premier League with nine games left, the summer of 2025 looms as a make-or-break moment. Will Arteta heed Souness’ warning and secure the striker to end Arsenal’s 21-year title drought, or will hesitation cost him his job? The Emirates awaits answers.