Richards claims Arsenal should 'move on' Gyokeres as Trossard sale a 'big miss'

Micah Richards believes Viktor Gyokeres is running out of time at Arsenal and has pointed to the summer sale of Leandro Trossard as a decision that has already cost Mikel Arteta's side.

Gyokeres scored 22 goals in all competitions during his debut season at the Emirates following a £55m move from Sporting in the summer of 2025, but has struggled for minutes in his second campaign, largely restricted to cameos off the bench with Kai Havertz preferred as Arteta's central striker. The Sweden international did finally get off the mark for the season in the Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town on Tuesday, but Richards does not think that will be enough to save his place at the club.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: “I think one of the major talking points as well is Gyokeres. When he first arrived at Arsenal, I was saying to the Arsenal fans, 'Don't expect him to be scoring 25 and 30 goals'. What I really liked about him, he was good at running in behind, but he stopped doing the things that he's really good at. 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.”

Richards wants January reinforcements

Richards went on to argue that Arsenal need fresh firepower up front in the winter window, pointing to injuries and the system Arteta has built around his front players.

“I think in January, because of the injuries, I definitely think they should go back into the market, and find top cover around,” he said. “Because the way Arsenal play, and everyone talks about they need this player, they need that player, but the reason why they're so good is what the front players do off the ball… so, Saka and Madueke work hard in a system that works for Arsenal. Obviously, losing Trossard was a big miss for them in terms of what he does off the ball and how clinical he was with the opportunities given to him. But I think if they want to compete and then, say, dominate, then 100 per cent, I think they need more firepower in that forward area, for sure.”

Richards added that Gyokeres's struggles appear rooted in confidence rather than ability. “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.”

Gary Lineker offered a similar assessment of the striker's long term role at the club. “I don't see him as a starting nine, particularly for a club of the stature of Arsenal,” Lineker said. “I think he can come off the bench and do a bit. I think he's probably more of a squad player.”

With the January window approaching, Gyokeres's situation is likely to remain a talking point among pundits and fans alike as Arteta weighs up his options in attack.