Arsenal warned not to sign a new striker this summer despite chronic lack of goals

Arsenal have been warned not to sign a striker this summer by former Manchester United midfielder Kleberson.

Mikel Arteta’s side looked on course to secure Champions League qualification a month ago and initially prospered following the sale of their captain and most reliable source of goals, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Consecutive defeats against Crystal Palace and Brighton, however, have threatened to derail a campaign in which significant progress had been made.

A new striker has been earmarked as a priority in the summer, especially given current strikers, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract come June.

Neither has been able to step-up in place of Aubameyang but Kleberson believes the answer to Arsenal’s striking woes lies in their academy rather than the transfer market.

He told to Paddy Power: ‘The way Arsenal play, they really like young players, and I don’t see too many strikers that can come in and help them.

‘Arsenal should look to their academy to find their next striker. They have a great philosophy of bringing youngsters through to the first team and that’s where they should look.

‘They [Arsenal] won’t be competing for titles next season but their goal will be in two or three years.

‘It’s really hard to find good young players who can come into Arsenal and perform really well.

‘It would be easier to bring through and prepare a player from the academy than go out and buy someone to replace Alexandre Lacazette.’

Stand-in skipper Lacazette has failed to score from open play since December while Nketiah is without a Premier League goal all season.

Speaking after Arsenal’s defeat to Brighton last week, Arteta was asked about Lacazette’s form and replied: I’m never happy when I lose, I’m