Micah Richards reckons Arsenal are buying 'second tier' players as he provided a damning verdict of the club's transfer business.
The Gunners have already spent £132million so far in the window including £50million for Ben White, £30m for Martin Odegaard and £24m for Aaron Ramsdale.
Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu are planning on adding more reinforcements too before the deadline in seven days' time, as well as offloading some fringer players who are surplus to requirements.
Arsenal's season has got off to the worst possible start with two defeats in a row, including a disappointing performance against Chelsea with eight senior players missing, including White, to a Covid-19 outbreak at London Colney.
How many signings will Arsenal make before the deadline? Comment below
But former Manchester City defender Richards doesn't rate the north London club's activity in the transfer market so far as he feels they are recruiting players below the level they're used to.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, the former City right-back said: "At this moment, Arsenal can't attract the top, top players, because players want to go to the better performing teams at this moment in time.
"When you say they've spent a lot of money, they're buying second-tier players, or players with good potential who could become that.
"You should think that the manager's got some input in the players that they're getting. But I just think with Arsenal now, they've got themselves in such a rut, they've done a couple of panic buys."
One player Arteta is looking at as the deadline quickly approaches is Kieran Tripper who has been linked with a move back to England this summer following a title-winning season with Atletico Madrid last year.
The Gunners targeted the former Spurs man earlier in the window, but his £34million price tag put them off a deal.
But The Sun are claiming that Arsenal are back in for Trippier as they desperately search for a right-back before the window shuts.
Edu, however, is demanding that Diego Simeone's men reduce their asking price significantly or otherwise a deal is off the cards.
