Arteta backed by Carragher to bring in a ‘top class defender’

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been tipped by former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher to bring in a ‘top class defender’ in order to shore up his squad for the future.
The Gunners finished last season with the worst defensive record out of all of the teams who finished in the top six of the Premier League as the club missed out on qualification for the Champions League once again.
Even though Arsenal splashed the cash on youngster William Saliba, there was no question about the fact that the club appeared to neglect its defensive woes as a record fee was rather spent on an attacker in Nicolas Pepe.
Despite the arrival of David Luiz from Chelsea, the Gunners have struggled to keep clean-sheets this season and it has taken until the appointment of Mikel Arteta for some improvement to be seen in that area.
Speaking on the Arsenal boss’ plans for the future, pundit Jamie Carragher tipped Arteta to secure the signing of a ‘top class defender’ to raise the quality of his defensive unit.
“There is not much he can do to reshape the squad in mid-season,” Carragher said, as quoted by the Daily Star
“But I will be shocked if Arsenal’s back four does not have different personnel at the start of next year.
“Arteta will be looking forward to getting a close look at William Saliba, the highly-rated 18-year-old centre-back on loan at St Etienne.
“He will want another top class defender.
“I do not expect Soktratis and Luiz to be symbols of the Arteta era because of their age and their unsuitability to his style.
“They currently represent why Arsenal got into the mess they did.
“When Arteta played for Arsenal, they were a skilful but timid side.”