Lauren urges signing to help Bukayo Saka

Arsenal legend Lauren has made it clear he thinks his old club need to sign a number 9 to help players like Bukayo Saka in attack.

The former Cameroon international has explained that that’s one area of the squad that Mikel Arteta is still lacking in, with the team perhaps in need of a bit of a Plan B for some games where they don’t have as much of the ball.

Arsenal currently have Kai Havertz as their first-choice striker, but it’s not always been his best position, with the Germany international perhaps better utilised in an attacking midfield role as he’s not exactly someone who looks capable of scoring 20-25 goals a season.

Gabriel Jesus is also an option for Arteta, but he’s mostly been poor since joining the Gunners from Manchester City, having had issues staying fit, and not being the most prolific attacker when he has been on the pitch.

Lauren is surely right, in that case, that AFC would benefit from another focal point in their attack to help take the pressure off the likes of Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to provide most of the threat in the final third.

Arsenal need a no.9, says former Invincible Lauren

“I have always said that we need a number 9 that can help, Bukayo Saka, help Gabriel Jesus, help Martinelli in the final third. This is something that would be great for Arsenal,” Lauren told the Italian Football Podcast.

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“Because when you have different versions and ways to attack the opponent. Like when you play a dominant side like Man City, you need to defend in a low block many times during the game. You need to go into transition going forward, on the left Martinelli can do that. But if you have another number 9 to help hold up the ball to allow the team to come out from the back, that would be fantastic.

“Therefore, we maybe need another 9 different to the ones we have in the squad to help us reach our goals by the end of the season.”