Arsenal should’ve challenged Manchester United for Nemanja Matic, says Ian Wright.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has told BBC Radio 5 Live that his former club should’ve tried to sign Nemanja Matic this summer.
The Serbia midfielder joined Manchester United from Chelsea last month in a £40 million deal.
The 29-year-old, who reunites with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, played big roles in helping the Blues win two Premier League titles in three years.
And Wright claims that the towering figure is exactly the kind of player who Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger needs in his side.
“To see that Matic has left Chelsea and gone to Manchester, could you have tried to persuade him to stay in London? He’s in London, settled, and can you get him to come to Arsenal because that is what Arsenal need,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
The Gunners have signed two players this summer – Sean Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette, for £52 million – but Wenger will need more additions if he wants to challenge for the title.
If Alexis Sanchez leaves North London then it’s a huge blow to their Premier League hopes and Wenger could fail yet again in not only mounting a title challenge, but Arsenal could struggle to reclaim their Champions League qualification spot.
But Granit Xhaka, a similar player to Matic, has looked promising in pre-season – especially in the Community Shield win over Chelsea – so it will be interesting to see if he can be as influential for Wenger as Matic was for Mourinho and Antonio Conte in West London.
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