Paul Merson has written in The Daily Star that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal should make a bid for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.
The Arsenal star has outlined why the Gunners need a player like Ward-Prowse, who earns £100,000 per week as salary (SalarySport).
The Sky Sports pundit has added that he is surprised that the 27-year-old midfielder is still at Southampton.
Merson wrote in The Daily Star: “With Arsenal, everything is short, short, short. Martin Odegaard does a great job of that, playing one-twos and trying to slip players in.
“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.”
Should Arsenal bid for James Ward-Prowse?
In our opinion, Arsenal should at least consider a move for Southampton midfielder Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal are a bigger club than Southampton and could end up in the Champions League next season.
A move to the Gunners could be appealing to Ward-Prowse, who is 27 now and is at the top of his game.
Now, of course, we know that Southampton are an established club in the Premier League, but they are not going to challenge for the Premier League top four anytime soon.
If Arsenal get in the top four, then they will need to reinforce their squad, and a player of Ward-Prowse would make them better.
Ward-Prowse is also a free-kick specialist who has a very good passing range.
In 301 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career, Ward-Prowse has scored 39 goals, and 14 of them have been from free kicks.
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