Arsenal legend Ray Parlor has urged Mikel Arteta to bring in penalty specialist Evan Toni from Brentford in the summer.
The Bees striker impressed in his first season in the Premier League – scoring 11 goals in 24 games for a struggling Thomas Frank side.
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Five of his Premier League goals in his last two games have come in victories over relegation teammates Norwich and Burnley.
Three of those goals came from a penalty kick – bringing his total to six penalties in all competitions this season.
Incredibly, the 26-year-old has kicked 23 out of 24 penalty kicks in his career, with his only absence from Peterborough in the 2018-2019 season.
Arteta’s team struggled from 12 yards away this campaign, netting only three of the six times they got.
Former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was the first choice before joining Barcelona in January, has missed both seasons.
Alexandre Lacazette also missed a penalty in December’s 2-0 win over West Ham, although he has scored three penalties so far.
And Parlor, the Gunners icon, believes Arsenal should take a gamble on Tony, with the club in the market for a new striker.
Arsenal could bring in strikers with Aubameyang already gone, while Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are set to leave on free transfers.
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Talking to Design MuseumParlor said: “Arsenal’s priority this summer is to sign at least one or two strikers. This is an absolute must.
“We hope that the major powers in Europe will be preoccupied with the bidding war trying to sign [Erling] Haaland While Arsenal can quietly proceed with our business and select the best in its class.
“I expect to see Haaland wear the Manchester City shirt next season because his father had a successful career at the club and Pep Guardiola would be excited to get his man after missing Harry Kane last summer.
“This will be bad news for the rest of the Premier League because it could be the last piece in a jigsaw game that actually wins titles every year.
“I would like to see Arsenal take a gamble on Evan Toni. I think he had a good young striker who enjoyed a great season in the Premier League with Brentford.
“I was expecting him to only improve as he progresses into his prime years and is also a penalty shooter which we don’t have now that Aubameyang has left the club.
“I would also be interested in signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton as he would add a new dynamic to the already attacking players at the club.
“I think he will carry the ball well and exchange passes with the runners from the midfield. He will be very useful for the likes of Saka and Smith Rowe.
“Evan Toni and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are realistic goals that will improve the club this summer and I’m excited to see what happens.”
Ray Parlor was speaking to the Design Museum to celebrate the launch of his new exhibition, Football: Designing the Beautiful Game, on Friday 8y April. Tickets are available for purchase today: designmuseum.org/designingfootball
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