Arsenal legend Lauren has suggested that the Gunners don’t need to be focusing on a transfer move for West Ham star Declan Rice because they should trust the players they have in their squad.
Arsenal are having an outstanding season at the moment, sitting five points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand, but in this day and age there’s always a great deal of transfer gossip doing the rounds, and Rice is one big name being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Ben Jacobs recently revealed Arsenal’s interest in Rice in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, but Lauren isn’t entirely convinced there’s a need to spend big on a new signing in that position.
Pointing to the fine form of Eddie Nketiah while Gabriel Jesus has been out injured, Lauren suggested that backup players like Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga could step up if they needed to fill in for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
“Arsenal have to be focused on the current team they have and not on new potential additions,” Lauren told FairBettingSites, as quoted by the Metro.
“If there is a good opportunity in the transfer market, then Arsenal will go for it. Look at Eddie Nketiah, we have to deal with what we have in the squad already.
“Why do we have to believe that Thomas Partey will get injured? He’s doing well, looks strong and we have to focus on the positive things rather than potential issues like an injury to Partey.
“Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga will be up to the task if that was to happen. But I don’t want to think of Declan Rice or any new additions.”