A recent report in the Express mentions an interview where former Arsenal player Paul Merson shared his thoughts on Harry Maguire and whether Arsenal should consider recruiting the English defender from Leicester City this month. As per the same report, when asked whether the Gunners should sign the Foxes centre-back, Merson said, “I don’t know,”
“I don’t think he will [fit the bill]. I’m not sure.
“He’s 100 times better than what they’ve got.
“But it would be £60m, £70m, £80m wouldn’t it. I think that’s a lot of money.
“It is [important] for Arsenal [to spend money on the defence], 100 per cent for Arsenal. They need to sort that out.
“I’m sure he [Emery] will have players up his sleeve. This manager is not silly, he’s been a good manager in Spain.
“He would have watched enough videos on Arsenal and known they weren’t good enough at the back and he will sort that out.
“Who knows, they might buy him [Maguire], they might.
“I’m not sure, he’s a lot of money.”
Merson’s recent words should be taken with a pinch of salt as the Sky Sports pundit clearly believes that Maguire is a type of player Unai Emery should be looking to recruit to solve his defensive concerns at the Emirates Stadium. The Leicester City defender is very talented and is a proper modern-day centre-back who can play the ball out from the back. Hence, it shouldn’t be a surprise if the Foxes demand an astronomical fee for their prized asset.
However, it is not clear whether the Gunners are seriously considering Maguire as a transfer target. The addition of someone of his talents would undoubtedly bolster Emery’s defensive options at the North London club.
The Gunners are currently occupying the 5th spot of the Premier League table, just three points behind 4th placed Chelsea, with a total tally of 41 points from 21 league matches. One of the main reasons for their recent struggles in the English top-flight has been their poor defensive record this season. The North London giants have conceded 31 goals so far in this campaign which is simply not good enough for a team aiming to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Maguire will be a fantastic fit for the Gunners if Emery can lure him to the Emirates during this January transfer window. He will be the ideal candidate to improve the Arsenal defence and put an end to their recent defensive miseries so Emery should listen to Merson and attempt to bring in the English talent this month.
