Former Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards has suggested that Viktor Gyokeres doesn’t have a future at Arsenal after his underwhelming form.

The Sweden international looked like an exciting signing when he first joined the Gunners from Sporting Lisbon, where he’d hit a stunning 97 goals in 102 games.

However, it just hasn’t happened for Gyokeres in English football, and it could be that Arsenal are now more likely to build their attack around Kai Havertz instead.

Mikel Arteta has tended to favour Havertz over Gyokeres in his starting line up in most games so far this season, as well as in some big matches towards the end of the previous campaign, including the Champions League final.

Richards now believes it may be time for Arsenal to think about replacing Gyokeres as he looks low on confidence and ineffective in Arteta’s set-up.

Arsenal urged to offload Viktor Gyokeres

“I think one of the major talking points as well is Gyokeres,” Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast.

“He sort of looks like he has no confidence. I don’t know if the reports in the summer that they tried to get rid of him [were true] or not, but essentially he’s had enough game time to show what he can do now at Arsenal and it’s just not happening for him.”

He added: “I think in January, because of the injuries, I definitely think they should go back into the market, and find top cover around.

“I think they need more firepower in that forward area, for sure.

“There are so many times where Gyokeres gets in really good positions, and I don’t know if he doesn’t back himself, I don’t know if it’s confidence, I don’t know if the team doesn’t back him to score, but he just, he doesn’t put the ball away. So, then it becomes a problem.

“And I just feel like he needs one of those opportunities where he plays 90 minutes, he scores, he builds confidence, and it goes from there.

“Otherwise, you know, they’re going to have to look to move him on.”

Arsenal could still go back in for Julian Alvarez in January after targeting him during the summer.