Jens Lehmann has a very important message for Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal legend Jens Lehmann believes Mikel Arteta must evolve his personality and approach if he wants to lead the Gunners back to the top of European football.

The former goalkeeper, who was part of the Arsenal squad that reached the Champions League final in 2006, shared his views following the club’s 1-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semi-final clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

Speaking on talkSPORT Drive on Wednesday, Lehmann acknowledged the progress made under Arteta’s management but warned that tangible success must soon follow. Arteta has only lifted one major trophy — the FA Cup in 2020 — along with two Community Shield wins. Arsenal have not reached a final in any competition since his arrival.

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When asked whether the Spaniard could come under scrutiny if he fails to deliver Champions League glory this season, Lehmann responded: “I think he started with a bad start, but you have to give a lot of credit to him. He pulled himself out, he changed the team and now he has made them very stable — and stable at the top, which is fantastic for the current owner because he generates the money.”

Lehmann then added, jokingly: “And on top of it, if they don’t win, he [the owner] doesn’t need to pay him extra bonuses!”

But the German shot-stopper, who was famously sent off in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona, insisted that next season must be a defining one for Arteta.

“Obviously, he has to win next year. This year, they could have won [the Premier League], Man City dropped a little bit, Liverpool replaced them,” Lehmann said.

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“Next year, he has to win, but he probably needs to change his personality a little bit to win things. Because sometimes, it’s about control and being cautious. But if you want to win some things, in my opinion, you could be a little more risky.”

Turning his attention to next week’s second leg in Paris, Lehmann added: “That’s next year — next week is super important. I cross my fingers that they will score two goals and will not concede one.”

Despite likely finishing in the top two for a third successive Premier League season, Arsenal’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency. The Gunners have dropped 18 points from winning positions — more than in the previous two seasons combined — and have recorded 13 draws, the second-highest in the division.

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