Paul Merson says Arsenal should have moved for Gareth Barry

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Should Arsenal have moved for Gareth Barry before he left Everton for West Bromwich Albion in the summer transfer window?

Paul Merson has told Sky Bet that Arsenal should have signed Gareth Barry from Everton before his move to West Bromwich Albion.

Barry has joined West Brom from Premier League rivals Everton in the summer transfer window.

Former Arsenal star Merson, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that the North London outfit should have signed the 36-year-old former Aston Villa and Manchester City defensive midfielder.

“A great signing,” Merson told Sky Bet. “I look at him and I think: why didn’t Arsenal take him for a year?’”

Barry is a good defensive midfielder who knows the Premier League inside out, but at the age of of 36, he is past his best.

The fact that Everton manager Ronald Koeman did not consider him good enough for his team for the 2017-18 campaign and decided to let him go this summer proves that.

While the Englishman would have added to the depth of the current Arsenal squad, he would have found it extremely hard to play regularly for the Gunners due to the competition for places in midfield.