After a fairly disastrous transfer window for Arsenal, Paul Merson has weighed in on who his former club should have tried to sign last summer.
Despite another summer where the Gunners supposedly had a big transfer kitty to splash on improving their squad, the only incomings at the Emirates were Sead Kolasinac, who arrived on a free transfer, as well as club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette.
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They ultimately left it too late in a move for Monaco's Thomas Lemar, who was subject to a £92 million bid that was subsequently accepted but as per as Wenger, the France international didn't fancy the move and it never materialised.
And, in addition to that, they now risk losing wantaway talisman Alexis Sanchez on a free transfer next summer after his £60 million move to Manchester City didn't come to fruition after the Lemar pursuit fell through.
Sky Sports pundit (if you can call him that) Merson, who made over 400 appearances for Arsenal, called the current state of the club an "embarrassment" and also offered his thoughts on who they should have attempted to sign - that player being England international Danny Drinkwater, who left Leicester for Chelsea in a £35 million move.
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Writing in his column for the Daily Star, he said:
"Arsenal should have bid for Danny Drinkwater rather than let him go to Chelsea. At least he will fight for you. This lot just give up."
And Merson continued to rip into his former club, and Arsene Wenger after the 4-0 drubbing inflicted by Liverpool on Sunday:
"I think the players have lost all respect for him [Wenger]," he added.
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"But I think the fans are losing all respect as well. They are playing for Arsenal and they are turning it into a mockery. They are embarrassing the football club.
"It's becoming one of football's also-rans because they are a million miles from winning the league and that's pathetic. I'm disgusted. It's just an embarrassment from top to bottom. It frustrates me. And it will get worse too.
"Why would you play Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when you know there's already been interest from Liverpool and he wants to go? He looked like a player who knew he was never going to play for Arsenal again. He was right.
"Then he pays £50-odd million for a striker and leaves him on the bench in the biggest game of their season. What must Alex Lacazette think of that? It's unbelievable. Extraordinary. But it will only get worse."
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Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football, Paul Merson, Arsenal