Four midfielders Arsenal should try and sign, according to Emmanuel Petit
Emmanuel Petit believes signing an experienced midfielder will help Arsenal close the gap to Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta’s men finished runners-up in the Premier League last season — five points behind eventual champions City — despite spending a record 248 days on top.
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In the ensuing summer veteran Swiss enforcer Granit Xhaka departed but Declan Rice’s arrival for a reported £105m from West Ham was seen as a watershed moment.
The former Hammers skipper has since become an ever-present in Arteta’s starting lineup with Thomas Partey and Jorginho often featuring though injuries have robbed the former of sufficient playing time.
Petit, who graced the Gunners midfield during an illustrious three-year spell, feels his former team need a seasoned presence in midfield if they want to catch and surpass Pep Guardiola’s side.
The 1998 World Cup winner subsequently named four potential names that could ultimately steer them across the line.
“In my opinion, this is a team that needs experience,” he told compare.bet. “I know they want to buy young players with room to improve and I can understand that, but I think they need players that know how to win and have experience in big games.
“The main two players I would target if I was Arsenal would be Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka. They are both incredible players with huge experience who have both been at Bayern for a while and would maybe like a new challenge.
“Goretzka has played at such a high level for so long and is still only 28, and I think Kimmich would be great for Arsenal, even if the price tag may be a bit expensive.”
“Tchouameni has been linked with a move away too, but I think it would be very hard for him to leave the biggest club in the world. He had a tough season last year but he’s doing better this year and I think he’s settled there now,” he added.
“Both Douglas Luiz and John McGinn would suit Arsenal perfectly too. McGinn has been consistently so good for so long, so energetic, can score goals and defend. I think he’s extremely underrated.
“Overall, I think Kimmich and Goretzka would be the best additions for Arsenal and could help them close the gap on City.”
