Former Arsenal player Ray Parlour believes that the club’s summer transfer window would have been successful if they had managed to bring in a central midfielder cut from the same cloth as Santi Cazorla.
The Spaniard has been out injured for nearly a year and a return to football is not expected before Christmas this year. Parlour has the opinion that a midfielder possessing the same qualities as Cazorla would make a real difference at the Emirates.
Arsenal failed with a deadline day bid for AS Monaco star Thomas Lemar capping off a disappointing transfer window that has left many fans disgruntled.
“[Thomas] Lemar would have been a great signing. It was talked about all summer and if the bid was true it was an unbelievable offer,” said Parlour.
“I’m sure they will go back in there in January but if they can prize him away from there we’ll have to wait and see. I thought Lacazette is a good signing, he will get better. It takes time for some players to settle in and he wasn’t 100 per cent fit when he first arrived. Kolasinac looks a good player, has a bit about beef about him which you need.
“I would have liked to have seen Arsenal sign one more midfielder. I know they’re very hard to find and it’s impossible to find a player like [Santi] Cazorla. They really missed him in midfield last season as he links it all together. I think the manager will have to look at it and say ‘this is the squad I’ve got now we have until January’ and hopefully get a response from that poor defeat at Liverpool.”
Cazorla began running on Thursday as he returned for light training to continue his rehabilitation. Arsenal will be back for Premier League action this weekend to host AFC Bournemouth at the Emirates.
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