Martin Keown has urged manager Mikel Arteta to sign replacements for Granit Xhaka and Eddie Nketiah.
The Gunners look set to miss out on the top-four this season after back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and left them trailing their north rivals in fourth place by two points.
Arteta has suggested even if Arsenal do not qualify for the on the Premier League’s final day, a fifth place finish would still represent progress for his young side.
However, Keown, the former Arsenal defender, thinks Arteta must look to bring in top-class players this summer to move his old club to the next level.
Speaking to , he said: ‘As a defender, I was talking about Ian Wright, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka the other day, these guys give you belief that you can win games.
‘We (defenders) throw ourselves in front of balls to block things, because eventually, they (strikers) are going to get the chance to win us the game. (Eddie) Nketiah has done an amazing job, but we know he is a second-string striker, not an A-liner.
‘The middle is where the club needs to strengthen, , I am not saying get rid of him completely. I just feel if he is coming on and making a contribution in midfield, then he needs to get better and develop.
‘(Thomas) Partey has been injured for long periods of the season, and (Albert Sambi) Lokonga has been deemed to be not quite good enough. Mohamed Elneny, is he the answer? So the midfield, that engine room is a key area which needs to be better.’
Ever since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left to join Barcelona in January, Arsenal have been looking to sign a new striker,
Meanwhile, Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette could leave this summer with their contracts running out exacerbating the club’s need for a centre-forward.
The Gunners have been linked with a move for Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus but pulling off the signing could be affected by not qualifying for the Champions League.
Arsenal have also struggled to cope with injuries to midfielder Thomas Partey this season and, according to reports, have earmarked moves for Wolves’ Ruben Neves and Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans.
But the north Londoners would be expected to pay a considerable fee for either star, with their clubs reluctant to lose such key players in their team.
Speaking earlier this year, Arteta revealed he was hoping to significantly add to his thin squad ahead of a return to Europe next term.
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