Arsenal hero Paul Merson has urged his old club to try and target a deep-lying playmaker in this summer's transfer window.
The north Londoners are set for a busy window at the end of the current campaign. football.london understands that technical director Edu is keen to bolster Mikel Arteta's squad, with at least one forward, a central midfielder and a backup fullback all likely to be targeted. Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is one midfielder mooted as a potential target, as well as Napoli maestro Fabian Ruiz.
Now, Merson has told the Gunners to try and bring in a player in a similar mould to Arteta, who played as a deep-lying playmaker during his time at the Emirates Stadium. "Mikel Arteta needs a player in the same mould he was to transform Arsenal next season," Merson told the Daily Star.
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"I think they still need a midfield player who can sit in front of the back four and pick a pass. Arteta did that beautifully. But they don’t have anyone like that any more. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey don’t have those kind of skills; someone who’s going to get on the ball and start spraying it around.
"Xhaka and Partey do a great job in there but they’re not going to take you to the next level. I don’t think they’ve got a genuine passer in the team; a genuine playmaker from deeper positions like that. And if anyone can find that type of player it should be Arteta because he’s played that position himself."
And Merson went on to name the aforementioned Neves, as well as Southampton star James Ward-Prowse as two potential options for Arsenal. He added: "But you need someone with a good passing range in behind him too.
"Someone who keeps it simple but can hit your forwards with a long ball or two as well. Ruben Neves does it for Wolves. James Ward-Prowse does it for Southampton.
"I have no idea how he’s still at Saints. It must be the sea air! Both of them take free-kicks and give you an extra dimension from set-pieces in my opinion as well."
