Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has backed Theo Walcott to break through the 100 goal barrier for the club this season, as the England star looks set to start the season in a central striking role.
Walcott, 26, has been pushing his claims to be a first choice striker in Arsene Wenger's line-up for several years, with the player who made his name in the game as a winger taking his chance in his favoured position as he scored in last May's FA Cup final win against Aston Villa at Wembley.
Wenger has hinted that he does not need to sign a top striker this summer and that may be due to his confidence in playing Walcott up front, with Ramsey convinced his team-mate can edge closer to a century of goals for Arsenal in the upcoming campaign.
"He is a goal scorer," Ramsey told the Arsenal website of a player who has scored 76 goals in 302 appearances for the Gunners. "He has a load of goals for Arsenal and I think he can carry that on and maybe get into the 100 club this year.
"He's a very strong character. He believes in his abilities and he definitely has a lot of qualities to offer.
"One of the hardest things to do in football is to put the ball in the back of the net and he's done it on numerous occasions for Arsenal. Hopefully he can continue doing that. He looks sharp, he looks strong and he can be dangerous."
Meanwhile, Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta believes his teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has the world at his feet as he heads into the new Premier League season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain scored an impressive winning goal for Arsenal in Sunday's 1-0 Community Shield win against Chelsea at Wembley and Arteta is backing his 21-year-old teammate to emerge as a star in the upcoming campaign.
"He's a terrific player, one of the best talents I've seen, and he's got the world open for what he wants to do. It's up to him," Arteta said in an interview with Arsenal's website. "[The goal was] unbelievable, but Alex can do that every week if he wants to."