Arsenal should sign West Ham’s Scott Parker to beef up their midfield, says Ray Parlour

Scott Parker, West Ham United

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Former Arsenal favourite Ray Parlour has called on Arsene Wenger to sign West Ham’s wantaway midfielder Scott Parker.

Parker’s consistently exceptional performances in the Premier League last season earned him the Football Writers’ Association player of the year award in spite of the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship.

Arsenal’s collapse in the final few months of the campaign caused some to question the whether Wenger’s current crop have the experience and grit required to end their six-year trophy drought – qualities Parlour believes Parker possesses in abundance.

The former Gunners midfielder is adamant the England international should be Wenger’s top target, although he admits the squad also needs strengthening in defence and attack.

“Scott Parker is going at West Ham, bring him in, he’d be excellent just in front of the back four and there’s an opportunity to get him,” Parlour told talkSPORT.

“They also need somebody at the back who can play centre-half, a real stopper like a Sol Campbell, who puts his body there and makes sure Arsenal don’t concede goals.

“If they can get someone like that it would be excellent. They also need a striker as well but they’ve got a decent squad and they’ll have a chance.

“Every Arsenal fan out there who is a little bit worried, don’t panic just yet as there’s a long way to go before the start of the season.

“I’m just hoping they can find that right player or right players to really push them to challenge Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool who will be strong next year.”

Parlour also suggests it might be a good idea for his old club to cash in on captain Cesc Fabregas, who is wanted by Barcelona, and reinvest the money back into the team, although he believes Samir Nasri cannot be allowed to follow the Spaniard through the exit door.

“Maybe they should take Barcelona’s proposed deal for Fabregas and put the money elsewhere in the squad,” he added.

“I do think it’s important though to keep Samir Nasri and it would be a disaster if they lose both of them.

“If you lose Fabregas, maybe Nasri can step in and play the role that Cesc does just behind the front two.”