Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal still have the chance to win a total of three trophies this season – and that’s despite losing the Carabao Cup final on Sunday to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Nico O’Reilly scored twice to earn City the first piece of silverware of the campaign last weekend, leaving the Gunners in despair.
But for Arteta and his entourage, the focus will shift to the upcoming fixtures: they face Southampton next in the FA Cup before travelling to lock horns with Sporting CP in the Champions League.
Read More: Arsenal-linked Adam Wharton reveals one Gunners star has been helping him this season
Heading into the summer, though, the capital club have plenty of work to do behind the scenes – and Jamie Carragher has implored Arteta to cut his losses with a £64 million star.
Carragher names Arsenal star Arteta should sell this summer
Ahead of Sunday, the Gunners were hoping a) lift their first major trophy since 2020 and b) keep their quadruple hopes alive. That wasn’t the case, though, and they cannot sit and wallow in the wake of defeat.
The setback needs to be forgotten about.
Speaking on The Overlap after the final, Carragher does not expect City’s Carabao Cup final to result in a Premier League title this time around – but he did highlight Arsenal’s ‘worry’, which is a lack of ‘special attacking players’.
“I don’t think it will affect the league because Arsenal have got such a big gap. But my thing with Arsenal now – and you could probably say this with every team in the Premier League – is there’s not enough special players.
“Arsenal are the best team in the league and have an amazing record but I still look at the attack and think it’s only okay.”
Ian Wright was also discussing the performance of Viktor Gyokeres, who has struggled to find his feet in England’s top flight. “You [Arsenal] still need to buy a centre-forward,” Carragher responded.
Gyokeres arrived from Sporting in the summer in a deal worth £64 million and many Arsenal supporters expected him to turn their fortunes around.
That is yet to be the case, though, and the Swedish striker has been unable to adapt to the trials and tribulations of the Premier League. At the time of writing, he’s scored 16 goals in all competitions.
Who could Arsenal replace Gyokeres with?
The most obvious replacement is Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, who moved to play in the Spanish capital in the summer of 2024. An all-rounder at the top of the tree, he’s plundered 17 goals in 2025/26.
According to reports in Spain, Alvarez has agreed a move to the north Londoners ahead of next campaign.
The goal-getting Argentine, 26, reportedly views Arsenal as a ‘strong sporting project’ and is keen to work under Arteta’s guidance in the capital of England.
Another option on their radar is Pio Esposito, a 20-year-old frontman who plays for Inter Milan. Reports have suggested that he’s been eyed for some time but the Serie A side could play hardball.
Instead, if a new striker is off the cards, Viktor Gyokeres could grow into his role at the Emirates Stadium. The goals have arrived in drips and drabs but his all-round game needs improvement.
