Micah Richards believes Arsenal will have to consider selling Viktor Gyokeres if the Swedish striker cannot rediscover his goalscoring touch under Mikel Arteta. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said the 28-year-old looks short of confidence and faces an uncertain future at the Emirates Stadium.
Gyokeres joined Arsenal last summer and scored 22 goals in all competitions during his debut season in English football. However, he has started only one of Arsenal's first eight Premier League games this term, and his first goal of the season came in midweek against Fleetwood Town.
Richards questions Gyokeres form
Richards said: 'I think one of the major talking points as well is Gyokeres. When he first arrived at Arsenal, I was saying to the Arsenal fans, "don't" Don't expect him to be scoring 25 and 30 goals.'
'What I really liked about him, he was good at running in behind, but he stopped doing the things that he's really good at. He sort of looks like he has no confidence. I don't know if the reports in the summer that they tried to get rid of him [were true] or not, but essentially he's had enough game time to show what he can do now at Arsenal and it's just not happening for him.'
January transfer window advice
Richards suggested Arsenal should strengthen their forward line when the transfer window reopens, saying: 'I think in January, because of the injuries, I definitely think they should go back into the market, and find top cover around.'
'Because the way Arsenal play, and everyone talks about they need this player, they need that player, but the reason why they're so good is what the front players do off the ball… so, Saka and Madueke work hard in a system that works for Arsenal. Obviously, losing Trossard was a big miss for them in terms of what he does off the ball and how clinical he was with the opportunities given to him.'
'But I think if they want to compete and then, say, dominate, then 100 per cent, I think they need more firepower in that forward area, for sure. There are so many times where Gyokeres gets in really good positions, and I don't know if he doesn't back himself, I don't know if it's confidence, I don't know if the team doesn't back him to score, but he just, he doesn't put the ball away. So, then it becomes a problem.'
Lineker echoes doubts
Richards added: 'And I just feel like he needs one of those opportunities where he plays 90 minutes, he scores, he builds confidence, and it goes from there. Otherwise, you know, they're going to have to look to move him on.'
Gary Lineker agreed, saying: 'I don't see him as a starting nine, particularly for a club of the stature of Arsenal. I think he can come off the bench and do a bit. I think he's probably more of a squad player.'
