Lukas Podolski believes Arsenal don’t have a true number 9, but he’s defended the decision to sign Riccardo Calafiori in the summer.

Speaking to the media last week, Lukas Podolski compared Arsenal’s forward options with that of their Champions League opponents Inter Milan.

The former Gunner suggested his old club are lacking someone like Inter’s Marcus Thuram, claiming fellow Germany international Kai Havertz doesn’t quite fit that role.

“Arsenal don’t have a striker like [Thuram],” Podolski said (via Sport Witness). “There’s Havertz, that’s true, but he’s not a number 9. That’s the difference.”

Over the summer, some Arsenal fans questioned the decision for the club to invest more money in defenders rather than signing a striker, but Podolski stopped short of agreeing with those complaints.

The 39-year-old suggested Arsenal must have known what they were doing signing Riccardo Calafiori, and he believes the player will improve with the Gunners.

“Arsenal are not a club of inexperienced people, they know what they’re doing and if they spent that money it’s because they believe in the player,” Podolski said.

“I honestly say he’s not at his best yet, he has to improve, but it’s just a matter of time.”

Podolski has represented both Arsenal and Inter as a player, joining the Serie A side on loan from the Gunners in 2014/15.

The player’s playing career is still going with Gornik Zabrze in the Polish first division, and he’s scored two goals in 13 appearances so far this season.