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The former Gunners midfielder believes Mikel Arteta’s team is crying out for another playmaker, with one at Aston Villa who could do a job.
Arsenal need a Mesut Ozil right now, says Gilberto Silva, and the Gunners are being urged to spend a lot to attract a player like Jack Grealish to the club.
The Gunners have made the bold decision to remove a World Cup-winning playmaker from their Europa League and Premier League plans this season.
Many have questioned Ozil’s ostracism, with the 32-year-old rotting in the shadows at the Emirates Stadium as a lucrative contract finalizes.
Silva, who was once part of Arsenal’s legendary ‘Invincibles’ team, is among those who feel a role for a creative German could have been found within Mikel Arteta’s plans.
The Brazilian said Ladbrokes: “If we want to talk about Mesut Ozil, then he is the kind of playmaker Arsenal really needs.
“Arsenal need someone to come on the wing and create chances, to give the ball to the forwards.
“I thought that player could have been Willian when he was hired, but he’s been playing open.
“Ozil could be the type of player that Arsenal really need to sign.”
With the Gunners requiring someone to pull the strings, and Ozil is not about to return from the cold anytime soon, Silva believes Arteta and company should be looking for backup closer to home.
England international Grealish has shown for his club and country that he can compete at an elite level, and his price, after signing a new long-term contract over the summer, continues to rise as a result.
Silva added when asked who Arsenal should target: “I like Jack Grealish. I’ve talked a lot about him. You have done an amazing job; he would be a good fit for the team.
“If you see the way he plays, his skill and you win. It has quality, there is no doubt about that. It has been sensational this season.
“Good players are not cheap; This is the reality of football, but they have a great impact.
“If the club decided in the future that they wanted to bring in a Jack Grealish, then they know it won’t be cheap. They will have to spend a lot.
“It is not easy to find quality players at a good price; you have to understand the market very well and be at the forefront of a long list of many, many clubs that are looking for similar players to improve their squads ”.
