Former England international Joe Cole believes Arsenal “can certainly” win the Champions League.
Arsenal take on Lens in their second group stage tie of the competition on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side defeated PSV 4-0 on their return to the competition and will be hoping to maintain their perfect record in France this season.
Arsenal has not played in the Champions League since the 2016–17 season, a six-year absence from the competition.
However, the former Chelsea and West Ham star believes there’s no reason why the Gunners can’t go all the way in the competition despite not being part of it for so long.
According to Cole, Arsenal “certainly can win the Champions League.
“Earlier, when Arteta was in the early stages of his reign, he was talking about ‘the project, the project’, and I was thinking, ‘What’s going on here?
“But he’s made every right decision at every corner. I think they’re a young team; they’re fearless. Declan Rice going in has taken them up another level.”
The Gunners are looking to improve on their second-place result in the Premier League last season, despite being top of the table for the majority of the season.
Cole has been impressed by his old London rivals’ summer acquisitions and believes they will assist them in both the title chase and the Champions League.
“It’s very difficult when you get to a certain level as a football club to improve your team,” he said. “We’ve seen so many teams get there and then falter when they’ve made two or three bad signings.
“I think by bringing in the goalkeeper and strengthening that area of the pitch, you’ve got two great goalkeepers now. Kai Havertz scored his first goal.
“I think they’ll push Manchester City all the way. I think Liverpool will be there as well,” Cole said.
When it comes to the Champions League, Cole believes the 2006 finalists have joined the elite club of teams tipped to win it.
“I think they’ve got every chance of winning the Champions League,” he said. “Outside of Manchester City and maybe Bayern Munich, they’re in that group of teams that can do it, and Real Madrid, obviously,” Cole added.
