Publication date: Saturday July 18, 2020 12:14
Paul Merson believes Arsenal should try to sign Manchester City defender John Stones in the next transfer window.
Pep Guardiola casts doubt on Stones’ long-term future at City recently when he couldn’t guarantee that the center-back will be at the club next season.
And Merson believes the Stones would be a great addition to Arsenal, especially since he is a player Mikel Arteta knows very well from his time on the Man City coaching staff.
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“Mikel Arteta has no chance of getting the money he needs from Arsenal,” Merson wrote in his Daily star column.
“They could spend £ 200m and still not make it to the Champions League next season because the gap is so big.
“They need a central defender, a central midfielder and another forward. The whole backbone of the team really.
“And I think it could go for John Stones at Manchester City. Pep Guardiola doesn’t seem to trust him, and Arteta has worked with him before.
“Arsenal need an external defender, not another David Luiz who knows how to play the ball from behind but makes many mistakes.
“But Stones is English, young enough to improve, and Arteta will know everything about him and know that he fits into the system.”
