Arsenal hero Paul Merson has advised his old side to try and sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku this summer.
Lukaku joined the west Londoners in the summer of 2021 for a then club-record fee of £98 million. However, the Belgian international struggled to live up to his price tag before falling out with the Blues faithful after making it no secret of his desire to one day return to Inter Milan.
The talented forward then re-joined the Nerazzurri last summer, completing a season-long loan move, netting 13 times and providing a further seven assists across all competitions this term. Now, Merson has advised Arsenal to try and make a swoop for Lukaku during the summer window, claiming that the Gunners are in desperate need of reinforcements in attack.
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"Arsenal need a centre forward," he told GiveMeSport. "They need someone who is going to get them 25 goals a season.
"I’m not having a go at Gabriel Jesus. He’s a very good player and he’s been a brilliant signing. But he’s not going to get you the goals you need on his own.
"The other day against Brighton, I don’t remember him ever looking like scoring. Jesus can play anywhere. So if you buy a striker he could still get in the team. He could play with a striker.
"Arsenal’s squad is bare. It wasn’t strong enough to win the league. They need to buy players. Top-quality players.
"Manchester City are head and shoulders above everybody. So you need to get stronger just to compete.
"Ivan Toney would have suited Arsenal, but that won’t happen now because of his ban. Romelu Lukaku might be available.
"The 30-year-old is an out-and-out centre-forward. He will stay up front and back into players. That might help Arsenal."
The aforementioned Jesus has been Arsenal's first-choice striker since signing from Manchester City a little under 12 months ago, with both Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard deputising for the Brazilian international when he spent almost four months on the sidelines due to a knee injury.
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