Former Arsenal man Paul Merson has told the Gunners to enter the transfer race for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice ahead of the summer transfer window opening.
The Gunners are likely to be looking to add to their squad as Mikel Arteta tries to put his stamp on the team.
The Spaniard saw two new faces arrive at the Emirates Stadium in January with Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares both joining on loan.
Rice has previously been linked with Manchester United, and recent reports suggest that Chelsea are keen on bringing the former youth player back to Stamford Bridge and in his Sky Sports column, the former Gunner has urged his old side to enter the race of the midfielder.
“Chelsea have been linked with him, but I don't know why Arsenal aren't looking at Declan Rice,” he wrote.
“Arsenal are crying out for a holding midfield player. They don't need a midfielder who's going to be on the edge of the opposition box, they need a disciplined defensive midfielder, who is going to sit in front of the back four and organise the side; one who, when he gets the ball, gives it simple with 10-yard passes.
“When you look back at the likes of Roy Keane later in his career and Claude Makelele, they were the best because they never got involved. They just did the simple things.
“It's such a hard job and that's why I can't believe Arsenal aren't going in for a player like Rice.
“A player like Rice can allow the attacking players to flourish and it gives the central defenders the chance to be better than what they are. I don't care who you are in football, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and even a Virgil van Dijk, if you've got people running at you left, right and centre every minute, they are going to go past you on occasions.
“For me, a good holding midfielder is priceless.
Merson insists that while Arsenal have players who can play the defensive role, the side have been lacking something since the departure of Gilberto Silva in 2008.
“Arsenal haven't really had a disciplined defensive midfielder since Gilberto Silva. Everyone talks about the club never really replacing Patrick Vieira, and of course, but they never replaced Gilberto either,” he added.
“There are players in the current team that are meant to do that job but they don't have the discipline to do it, and that needs addressing.”
