Former Arsenal player Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to add Karim Benzema to the squad in order to add to the strike force that is currently lacking.

Parlour made almost 500 appearances for the Gunners in his 13 year spell at the club, and insists that Arsenal’s striking situation will cost them dear unless they sign a top player.

Parlour feels the Gunners have the financial power to bring players such as Benzema to the club, having added star international players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in previous transfer windows. With the Frenchman linked to the Emirates, Parlour sees no reason why the Gunners can’t seal the deal.

“That is a position they’ve got to look at.”

“Everyone is going to jump on the bandwagon now but it’s a long, hard season and there’s a long way to go.”

“If you look at Man City, you know Sergio Aguero is their main man, for Manchester United it’s Wayne Rooney and at Chelsea, it’s Diego Costa. Who is it at Arsenal?”

“I didn’t know who would start for Arsenal on Sunday because Theo Walcott started the Community Shield. I don’t think they have someone who you can say ‘he’s definitely going to play and he will score us goals’.”

“Walcott will run in behind and has more pace and Giroud brings the midfield in a bit more – I think he (Giroud) is ahead of Theo at the moment.”

“(Karim) Benzema has been well linked and if they could get a proven goalscorer like that then it would be fantastic. They can afford to get him and start competing in the transfer market whereas before they couldn’t because of the stadium.”

“He (Wenger) has proved in the past few years he will go and get those big players and Benzema would undoubtedly strengthen their side.”

Parlour also jumped to the defence of goalkeeper Petr Cech who some have criticised for making a mistake in the lead up to both goals.

“It was a mistake, certainly, he (Cech) made a decision to come and he’s got to take everyone out,” he said.

“The decision he made was the wrong one and he’ll hold his hands up to that.

“There were poor decisions all round. I think it’s concentration sometimes. They showed that bit of resilience against Chelsea in the Community Shield but it wasn’t there on Sunday.”

[All quotes via Sky Sports]