Emmanuel Petit has openly questioned Mikel Arteta’s decision to prioritize the £42m signing of Riccardo Calafiori over strengthening Arsenal’s attack.
The Gunners fended off Chelsea to secure the Italian international from Bologna, where he had only spent one season but stood out with impressive performances in Serie A and during Italy’s short-lived Euro 2024 campaign.
At just 22, Calafiori began his Arsenal career with promise, contributing to clean sheets in his first two matches and scoring a stunning goal in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Manchester City.
However, injuries have hampered his progress, sidelining him for nearly two months and forcing him to miss Arsenal’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United.
Petit, a fan of Calafiori, questioned why Arsenal bolstered an already strong left-back position, which includes Zinchenko and rising talent Lewis-Skelly.
“I understand the need for squad depth when competing across multiple tournaments, but the striker position was the real priority,” Petit said.
Arsenal’s attacking woes were evident in their FA Cup defeat, with Kai Havertz leading the scoring this season with just seven goals.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli follow with five each, underscoring the team’s lack of cutting-edge firepower. Petit believes the decision to forego a striker during the summer transfer window is backfiring.
While fans hope for reinforcements in January, Petit remains skeptical. “The January market is difficult, and I don’t think Arsenal will secure the top-quality striker they need,” he added.
Arsenal’s hopes of winning silverware this season are dwindling after defeats in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, with their focus now shifting to the Premier League title race.
Despite trailing Liverpool by six points, Petit sees potential for a comeback. Liverpool’s challenging schedule, coupled with Champions League commitments, could create opportunities for Arsenal to close the gap. “The Premier League race is far from over,” Petit remarked.
As Arsenal prepare for a crucial derby against Tottenham, they’ll aim to reignite their season and stay in contention for the title. With fewer distractions from domestic cup competitions, their league campaign could become their main focus.