Petit urges Arsenal to strengthen midfield with Guimaraes and Bouaddi
Emmanuel Petit has backed Arsenal to bolster Mikel Arteta's squad with not one but two midfielders this summer. The former Arsenal midfielder specifically named Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi as ideal targets.
Arsenal chief Josh Kroenke confirmed after the Premier League title win that Arteta would once again be backed in the summer transfer window. Arteta intends to welcome a new midfielder to the Emirates Stadium this summer, targeting England World Cup star Morgan Rogers. Arsenal have also expressed interest in Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, approaching their Premier League rivals with a £45m verbal offer. That approach was rebuffed by Newcastle but Arsenal are expected to return with an improved bid as they look to bring the Brazil World Cup star to north London.
Bouaddi valued at £70m by Lille
Petit has backed Arsenal's pursuit of Guimaraes but says he also wants Ayyoub Bouaddi to join the new Premier League champions. Arsenal are one of a number of clubs interested in Bouaddi, who is also at the World Cup with quarter-finalists Morocco. French club Lille, fully aware of the level of interest in Bouaddi, reportedly want around £70m for the 18-year-old.
'Bruno Guimaraes is a good player and if you add Ayyoub Bouaddi as well, they are great options for Arsenal,' Petit told Jackpot City Casino. 'But as I said, they need to clear some positions first, which means they have to sell some players. We will see at the end of the transfer market who comes after they sell players.'
Midfield depth and rotation concerns
Petit highlighted the need to manage squad rotation and keep players happy. 'If they buy more midfield players, they already have Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Martin Odegaard. They probably need one or two more, but you have to keep everyone happy and manage the rotation of the team. When you need to add quality, you need to keep possession of the ball. We didn't see that against Paris Saint-Germain. They have been the best team in the world for the last two seasons and have the greatest midfield players in terms of possession. But players like Guimaraes can hold the ball.'
Petit questions Odegaard's future
As Arsenal target several midfielders, Petit has questioned what the future holds for Gunners captain Martin Odegaard. 'The last two seasons have been difficult for Odegaard. His first three seasons with Arsenal were brilliant, scoring many goals and giving many assists as the main playmaker. But since last season, he hasn't been at his usual level in terms of stats and his impact. He was not the first choice anymore for Mikel Arteta. He has been injured for months, just like Bukayo Saka. Is it a coincidence that Saka was also struggling last season? The link between the two players disappeared. He needs to recover to his best level. I still like him, but if things don't change, his days at Arsenal will be numbered.'
Bouaddi helped Morocco beat Canada 3-0 in the last-16 of the World Cup – Mohamed Ouahbi's side face tournament favourites France for a place in the semi-finals.
