Paul Merson urges Arteta to sign James Ward-Prowse this summer.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been linked with a move to West Ham this summer and has scored 10 goals in 36 league appearances for Southampton last season.
Arsenal legend believes his club should be targeting the Saints man who has a ‘good range in passing’.
Merson said: ‘Arsenal cannot allow West Ham to buy James Ward-Prowse. I think he is a great signing for whoever gets him.
‘I think he is one of the best passers of the ball in England. Him and Trent Alexander-Arnold see things few other English players do and they can spray it around the pitch because they have such a good range of passing.
‘I don’t understand why Arsenal are not pulling out all the stops to try and take James Ward-Prowse from Southampton.
‘Arsenal need to buy experience and they would be buying an experienced England international who knows the Premier League and would make a huge difference to them.
‘They are crying out for a player who can spray the ball around from the middle of the pitch. They have plenty who can play nice, one-touch, tippy-tappy stuff but no-one who can switch the play or play a killer ball over the top.’
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