Ray Parlour urges Arsenal to take £40m ‘gamble’ on Premier League defender
Arsenal legend Ray Parlour says the Gunners should try to sign Brighton defender Lewis Dunk
Arsenal should take a £40m gamble on Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, according to former Gunners star Ray Parlour.
The north London side have been linked with a number of defenders in the January transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his injury-ravaged backline.
The Gunners have signed Flamengo centre-half Pablo Mari on loan until the end of the season to help ease their injury concerns at the back ahead of Sunday’s trip to Burnley.
Arsenal are currently without Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney due to injury, while centre-halves Calum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi are also sidelined.
Former Arsenal midfielder Parlour believes the Gunners should consider a surprise swoop to sign Brighton stalwart Dunk.
“If I really had to go and buy one, whether you’ve got the money to do it or not, I’d take a gamble on a player like Lewis Dunk,” Parlour told talkSPORT.
“£30m, £40m, would Brighton take that? I don’t know. I like the way he plays, he’s a proper centre-back. That’s what you need sometimes.
“Sol Campbell was a proper centre-back when I played, he’d stop you scoring, and that’s what you want from your centre-half.
“He doesn’t have to be great on the ball at times. We’re talking about different players [in quality].
“Sol was one of the best centre halves around at that time.
“But someone like Lewis Dunk, who’s probably a little bit unlucky not to be in more England squads, I’m sure Brighton fans don’t want to be losing a player like that.”
Dunk has played for Brighton throughout his entire professional career so far, helping the Seagulls to secure promotion to the Championship in 2011 before they secured Premier League status in 2017.
The 28-year-old has scored 18 times in 283 games in all competitions over the past 10 seasons as a regular member of the first team.
Dunk has three seasons of Premier League football under his belt, helping the Seagulls to secure their continued place in the top flight.
Arsenal will make the trip to Burnley in their next Premier League game at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.
