‘Not at that level’ – Lee Dixon tells Mikel Arteta to replace Arsenal star

Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon (Picture: Getty)

Lee Dixon believes Arsenal could still do with an ‘elite’ centre forward ahead of the new season despite his praise for Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres.

Arsenal are still active in the summer transfer window as they look to add more quality to Mikel Arteta’s side ahead of next Friday’s Premier League opener against Coventry City.

The Gunners have already signed Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes, but are still looking to strengthen at centre-back and left wing.

Arsenal failed in a blockbuster pursuit of Vinicius Junior, but are set to reopen talks to sign Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa to help provide cover for the injured William Saliba.

And while Dixon believes another centre half would be ideal, the former Arsenal defender also wants the Gunners to add more firepower in attack.

Gyokeres scored 21 goals in all competitions in his first season at the Emirates, while Havertz will hope to hit the ground running after an injury-hit campaign last time out.

But Dixon thinks Arsenal should still think about replacing the duo, telling BestBettingSites: ‘Kai Havertz is a very good player – I like Havertz a lot – and Viktor Gyokeres gives us another dimension, but a natural, out-and-out centre-forward you can completely hang your hat on is rare.

Arsenal are still seeking reinforcements (Picture: Getty)

‘They’re just not at that level right now. We were talking about this with the England setup under Thomas Tuchel – you look behind Harry Kane, and while Ollie Watkins is there, there aren’t massive numbers of elite, natural goalscorers.

‘In my day, Ian Wright couldn’t get in the team, Robbie Fowler couldn’t get in, Teddy Sheringham had to play as a number 10, and you had Les Ferdinand.

‘You had eight or nine top-class strikers all trying to get ahead of Alan Shearer. It’s not the same at club level now – where are those natural goalscorers? The game has evolved away from the traditional number 9.

Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 Premier League goals last season (Picture: Getty)

‘That said, I do like Gyokeres. If Arsenal play to his strengths a bit more this season, he will score a hatful. Last season, Odegaard barely passed to him at times – Gyokeres would make the run and the ball just wasn’t played.

‘So centre-half and centre-forward are key, which is probably what every team in the Premier League is looking for.’

The Gunners have been linked with signing Julian Alvarez this summer, but Atletico Madrid have held firm despite heavy interest from Arsenal and Barcelona.

Speaking after Wednesday’s pre-season draw with Como, Arteta said the club were still looking to make signings but admitted there are ‘very few players’ who can improve his squad.

Arsenal were linked with a move for Julian Alvarez (Picture: Reuters)

‘There is more that we want to do because every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth to the squad, we need to do that,’ Arteta said.

‘But we are actively trying to do so. The thing in the market, it doesn’t just depend on you, and we are very clear on that.

‘But the approach, the will and the desire of the club, that’s unquestionable, and we want to try to do that.

‘But we cannot promise that we’re going to do it because, again, it doesn’t only depend on us.

‘For the margins to improve there are very few players in the market who are available to do that and bring that to the club.

‘But again, we are actively looking to improve that and we are going to try.’

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