Joleon Lescott has named two Premier League strikers Arsenal \u2018must have signed\u2019 as an alternative of Viktor Gyokeres.<\/p>\n
Gyokeres has endured an underwhelming first season on the Emirates Stadium following his \u00a364m summer move from Sporting.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old scored almost a goal a game in Portugal but has been nowhere near as prolific within the Premier League, netting 11 in 29 games.<\/p>\n
Gyokeres has improved because the turn of the Recent 12 months but Arsenal fans still expected more from a player who was seen as the ultimate piece of the jigsaw in Mikel Arteta\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pedro has scored 19 goals in all competitions since his \u00a360m move to Chelsea last summer, while Ekitike has 17 goals since joining Liverpool for slightly under \u00a380m.<\/p>\n \u2018I assumed Viktor\u00a0Gyokeres\u00a0was brought in to start out for Arsenal,\u2019 former England, Manchester City, Wolves and Everton defender Lescott told Sky Bet<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018You\u2019re\u00a0not spending that amount of cash, having\u00a0identified\u00a0that position, for him to not play.\u00a0Surely,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0been brought in to play in all the large games.<\/p>\n \u2018They brought in\u00a0Gyokeres\u00a0because they thought he was the most effective of the available strikers.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s\u00a0easy to say now that Arsenal must have gone for Hugo\u00a0Ekitike. Joao Pedro is one other striker I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know why Arsenal\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0buy.\u2019<\/p>\n Gyokeres will not be the one Arsenal summer signing to have struggled at times, with Eberechi Eze also going through a difficult spell earlier within the season \u2013 although his form has picked up in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Asked about Eze\u2019s start at Arsenal, Lescott added: \u2018He\u2019s\u00a0found his position at Arsenal, but he\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0found the rhythm yet.<\/p>\n \u2018His struggles are only all the way down to current form \u2013 we will get carried away and think, \u201cIt\u2019s never going to work\u201d.\u00a0Having gone there and now needing to perform is barely different when\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0previously been given the liberty to make mistakes.<\/p>\n \u2018He knows that when\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0playing for a top team, where competition is so strong, you\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0are available in and never perform. You\u00a0need to\u00a0\u2013 otherwise you\u2019re coming off.\u2019<\/p>\n Arsenal head into their Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Saturday with a nine point cushion over title rivals Manchester City.<\/p>\n Pep Guardiola\u2019s men do have a game in hand, nonetheless, and the Gunners must still travel to the Etihad on April 19.<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Follow Metro Sport for the most recent news on ![\"Newcastle](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2255644217.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=594\")
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