Emmanuel Petit urges Arsenal to hijack deal for one Chelsea transfer target before deadline day – as the ex-Gunners star insists Mikel Arteta’s side can win the Premier League with one new addition

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has urged Mikel Arteta and sporting director Deco to swoop in and sign one of Chelsea‘s main transfer targets, insisting the player can take the Gunners to the next level.

After missing out on winning the Premier League title last season to Manchester City, questions have been asked over what Arsenal must do this season to outdo Pep Guardiola‘s trophy winning machine.

So far things have been looking good for the Gunners, with Arsenal putting up two dominant performances to beat both of Wolves and Aston Villa in their opening games of the new league season.

In the transfer market, Deco and Arteta have also done some good business, bringing in midfielder Mikel Merino and centre back Riccardo Calafiori – but are yet to sign a forward. With David Raya also joining on a permanent transfer, Arsenal have spent approximately £102million during the summer window. 

The north London club have also parted company with Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe, while Eddie Nketiah is closing in on a move to Crystal Palace – which could be finalised later today.

Mikel Arteta’s side have spent around £102million on three new squad additions this summer

But Emmanuel Petit has urged the Gunners to step back into the market before deadline day to land a Chelsea target who can take them to the next level

Chelsea, meanwhile, are still in the market for a new striker and have been heavily linked with a move for Ivan Toney in recent days and could make a late move to sign the forward, who has entered the last 12 months of his contract.

Mail Sport understands that Toney has received an offer to join Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli with the Middle Eastern club tabling an offer of £400,000-per-week.

Petit, meanwhile, believes Arsenal can surpass Man City and win the Premier League if they sign a centre forward who can deliver ’20-goals-per-season’ and has urged Deco and Arteta to hijack Chelsea’s move for Toney.

‘Arsenal need a 20-goals-per-season striker, they currently have a few players who can score 10-15 goals per season, like how Man City used to be,’ Petit, who made 118 appearances for Arsenal between 1997 and 2000, told Gamblingzone.

‘Pep Guardiola changed the system because he knew he needed a striker who could score lots of goals. In Erling Haaland’s first season, he broke goal-scoring records and won the Champions League.

Petit urged Arsenal to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford, with the Gunners having been linked with the forward for some time

It comes as Chelsea and Enzo Maresca (pictured) have been showing a keen interest in landing Toney this summer 

Toney has just 12 months left on his contract with the Bees and has received offers from Saudi Arabian clubs 

‘Mikel Arteta will follow the steps of Guardiola, the way their teams play and a striker would be a cherry on top of the cake.

‘I think Nico Williams or someone like Ivan Toney could replicate Haaland’s output at Arsenal.

‘Toney has a great relationship with Bryan Mbeumo, understanding the timing and movements of your team-mates is important for Arsenal and I think he could be the man that spearheads them to the title – a late move could do them wonders.’

Chelsea could also look to Victor Osimhen of Napoli, who has long been recognised as their preferred choice, with his price tag being the only sticking point.

Arsenal need to replenish their centre forward stocks with Eddie Nketiah on the cusp of a move to Crystal Palace 

Gabriel Jesus has also sustained a thigh injury and it is not clear when he’ll return to action

Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus was added to Arsenal’s injury list over the weekend, with the Gunners forward having sustained a groin injury at the end of their 2-0 victory against Aston Villa.

With Nketiah set to leave, Arsenal are running low on specialist centre-forwards – with Arteta set to use Kai Havertz as the spearhead of his front three again this season.