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Arsenal great Martin Keown has called on Mikel Arteta to adopt a ruthless approach in the transfer market following the team’s painful Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Despite winning the Premier League title, the Gunners suffered a 4-3 loss on penalties to the French champions in Budapest. The result has intensified speculation about fresh signings, with questions emerging over whether Viktor Gyokeres needs to be upgraded after his mixed debut season.

Keown calls for attacking reinforcements

In the aftermath of the defeat at the Puskas Arena, Keown identified the attacking department as the key area needing improvement. The former Arsenal defender acknowledged that while the squad’s efforts to end their 22-year domestic title drought were commendable, the club must invest further to close the gap with Europe’s elite sides.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Keown pointed out two positions that require strengthening. “They might revisit the striker situation. Kai Havertz played the full 90 minutes tonight, but that’s only the second complete game he has managed in 18 months. It was a tough evening for Viktor Gyokeres, so that could be an area Arsenal assess again. Perhaps the left wing too. Mikel Arteta will strengthen, there’s no doubt about that,” Keown stated.

Gyokeres under scrutiny

Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal last summer in a £64 million transfer, has faced a challenging debut campaign at the Emirates Stadium. The Swedish forward was left out of the starting lineup for the club’s biggest match in recent history, signaling a possible lack of trust from Arteta in decisive moments. Although Havertz found the net in the Budapest final, his recurring fitness issues have limited him to only seven Premier League starts this season.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard echoed Keown’s view about Arsenal’s need for depth. “I think they have to,” Gerrard said. “This was Arsenal’s 63rd game of the season. You can’t rely on just one top striker, maybe not even two. You need constant renewal — fix the roof while the sun’s shining. Arsenal are in a brilliant position, but given the level and number of matches, they must keep adding quality and moving on players who’ve hit their ceiling or started to decline.”

Arteta calls for summer ambition

Mikel Arteta appears to agree that the team must evolve, urging Arsenal’s management to be “very smart” and to “show ambition” in the upcoming transfer window. The Spanish coach admitted that PSG are currently the best team in the world after his side managed just 24.7% possession in the final.

“We [will] start making some very important decisions if we want to reach another level,” Arteta told reporters. “And we’ll need to show ambition because we’re capable of it — but it will require us to be very ambitious, very quick, and very smart.”

Dealing with penalty heartbreak

The defeat was particularly painful due to the missed penalties from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel. Despite the heartbreak, Declan Rice was quick to back his teammates, reminding fans that their performances were crucial to Arsenal’s Premier League triumph earlier in the month.

“Missing a penalty in a Champions League final is never easy,” Rice said. “But we love them and stand behind them. It’s part of football — they won’t be the last players to miss in a final. Everyone has missed one at some point, and without those two this season, we wouldn’t have lifted the Premier League trophy. Gabriel has been outstanding both as a person and a player. Eze has scored vital goals for us. It’s football — it can be cruel, but we take the positives and move forward.”