Ex-Arsenal player Paul Mariner has urged Arsenal to speed up their transfer business this summer.

• Mariner says he’s “sick and tired” of deals not being completed despite links
• He said Arsenal have signed the wrong players over the years
• He said Arsenal must break the bank to sign a striker

In the latest interview with a grump ex-Arsenal player, Paul Mariner has made clear his unhappiness at Arsenal’s current transfer business.

Speaking to ESPN, Mariner, who made 60 appearances for Arsenal, said that he’s frustrated by Arsenal’s inactivity.

“I don’t think anybody knows what’s going on at the moment,” he said.

“I’m sick and tired of Arsenal being linked with players, good players, and not getting the deal done. I think it starts at the top, it always starts with the manager.

“The manager’s staying, there’s doubt about Ozil, there’s doubt about Alexis Sanchez. 

“You’ve got to get these deals done, these guys are not going to be hanging around for a long period of time” 

Mariner also believes that Arsenal have signed the wrong players over the last few years, and should be breaking the bank to bring a striker in.

“Arsenal over the last few years have signed the wrong players in my opinion. 

“They’re too same-y, they need to get some marquee players, if they want a striker, go and pay top money for a striker, they’ve got the money, spend it.”

Arsenal have had a bid rejected for Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, a move that Mariner says has “got to happen”.

“If it’s not Lacazette it’s got to be somebody of that quality or higher quality because that’s what they need. 

“They need somebody to put the ball consistently in the back of that net.”

Which all sounds nice and easy, but as we know, transfers are rarely simple, and strikers who can “put the ball in the back of that net” aren’t always easy to sign for a reasonable fee.