Arsenal transfers: Arsene Wenger urged to sign world-class midfielder

Charlie Nicholas says Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger still needs to sign a midfielder before the close of the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have only signed Petr Cech in an £11m deal from Premier League champions Chelsea, despite being linked with a host of midfielders and strikers over the past couple of months.

(Francis) Coquelin is fine but you need another player of stature in that position. I’m hopeful, but I’m not convinced

Charlie Nicholas

Francis Coquelin has been played in a holding role over the past eight month with largely great success, and he impressed in a stalemate with Liverpool at The Emirates last Monday.

However, former Arsenal playmaker Nicholas believes Wenger must make signing a world-class defensive midfielder a priority before the summer transfer window shuts next week.

Nicholas told Sky Sports: “”If you can get someone like Karim Benzema, I’d obviously go for him because he is better than what’s already there, but I don’t see them going for a striker and I would rather he (Wenger) went for a stronger presence in midfield.

“He should have moved for (Morgan) Schneiderlin. He should have gone for someone with the presence of mind that can handle things physically as well as technically in that area of the field.

“There are a few players in the market across Europe that he could get but I just hope that he does it.

“(Francis) Coquelin is fine but you need another player of stature in that position. I’m hopeful, but I’m not convinced.”

Arsenal have been linked with a move for a striker in recent weeks amid reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

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The Gunners make the trip to Newcastle United in Saturday’s early kick-off.