“You have to get someone in like that” - Paul Merson urges Arsenal to sign attacker likened to Manchester United great Ruud van Nistelrooy

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes the Gunners must sign someone of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s ilk, and has urged them to move for Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic.

The Gunners have been linked with a move for Vlahovic, but it remains to be seen if the Serbian will be open to joining them in January. The Serie A side have placed a hefty price tag of £58 million as per the Sun, which has detracted clubs from approaching them in the winter transfer window.

Mikel Arteta's men have managed just 33 goals in 20 Premier League games so far this season and find themselves sixth in the league table. The Gunners have missed a goal-scoring forward this season.

Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah have struggled to score goals. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang too failed to shine before he was suspended for a disciplinary breach.

Merson explained the Gunners’ style requires a player like van Nistelrooy, who could drop deep and score goals too, and has urged them to sign Vlahovic.

“I mean that’s the problem (Arsenal’s lack of goals). I would have gone for him [Dusan Vlahovic]. The figures he is putting up in Italy. He is a handful and a centre-forward who scores goals.

“Arsenal create chances. They just need someone who is just going to be worried about scoring goals. Like the great van Nistelrooy was.

“Van Nistelrooy would come short, put it out wide, forget me then I am getting in the box and scoring goals. You have to get in someone like that,” Merson said on Sky Sports.

The Dutchman has notably scored 150 goals in 219 appearances across competitions for Manchester United. He had become their then all-time top scorer in European competitions with 38 goals.

Arsenal running out of time to sign a new forward

The Gunners have little more than a week to sign a new forward in the January transfer window. Eddie Nketiah and Lacazette are set to depart over the summer as both their contracts expire in the summer, and neither player has penned down an extension.

Mikel Arteta will be without Folarin Balogun in the second half of the season after the forward was loaned out to Middlesbrough.

The lack of a goal-scoring forward is hurting the Gunners’ chances as they have played some good football but have underperformed in front of goal.

While the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have scored goals from midfield, a competent striker like Vlahovic would make the North London side a more complete attacking unit.

The Serb is firing on all cylinders in Serie A this season, leading the goal scoring charts with 17 goals from 21 appearances.