Joleon Lescott has named two Premier League strikers Arsenal ‘must have signed’ as an alternative of Viktor Gyokeres.
Gyokeres has endured an underwhelming first season on the Emirates Stadium following his £64m summer move from Sporting.
The 27-year-old scored almost a goal a game in Portugal but has been nowhere near as prolific within the Premier League, netting eight in 25 games.
Gyokeres has improved for the reason that turn of the Latest 12 months but Arsenal fans still expected more from a player who was seen as the ultimate piece of the jigsaw in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Sweden international Gyokeres has even dropped out of the team in some games and Lescott believes that is all of the evidence needed to indicate his signing was a mistake.
Arsenal did need a brand new No.9 last summer but Lescott believes they need to have signed Joao Pedro or Hugo Ekitike as an alternative of Gyokeres.
Pedro has scored 13 goals since his £60m move to Chelsea last summer, while Ekitike has 15 goals in all competitions since joining Liverpool for somewhat under £80m.
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‘I assumed Viktor Gyokeres was brought in to begin for Arsenal,’ former England, Manchester City, Wolves and Everton defender Lescott told Sky Bet.
‘You’re not spending that sum of money, having identified that position, for him to not play. Surely, he’s been brought in to play in all the large games.
‘They brought in Gyokeres because they thought he was the perfect of the available strikers.
‘It’s easy to say now that Arsenal must have gone for Hugo Ekitike. Joao Pedro is one other striker I don’t know why Arsenal didn’t buy.’
Gyokeres isn’t the one Arsenal summer signing to have underwhelmed, with Eberechi Eze also going through a difficult spell following his £60m move from Crystal Palace.
Asked about Eze’s start at Arsenal, Lescott added: ‘He’s found his position at Arsenal, but he hasn’t found the rhythm yet.
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‘His struggles are only right down to current form – we are able to get carried away and think, “It’s never going to work”. Having gone there and now needing to perform is barely different when you’ve previously been given the liberty to make mistakes.
‘He knows that when you’re playing for a top team, where competition is so strong, you can’t are available in and never perform. You need to – otherwise you’re coming off.’
Arsenal threw away a two-goal result in drop more points within the title race in a dismal 2-2 draw with bottom-placed Wolves on Wednesday night.
Arteta’s side were in complete control through Bukayo Saka’s early header and Piero Hincapie’s goal after half-time but conceded twice – including an injury-time equaliser from Wolves – to drop two points.
Gyokeres began at Molineux but was subbed off shortly after Wolves’ opener after failing to make an impact. Eze got here on for the ultimate half an hour but in addition struggled.
Arsenal, sitting five points clear of Manchester City having played one game more, face north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
The Gunners’ lead by the point they face Spurs could possibly be just two points as Man City play the day before today, facing Newcastle United on the Etihad Stadium.
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