Martin Keown sends transfer message to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has said that manager Mikel Arteta needs to purchase a new centre-back before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

The Gunners started with Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz at the heart of the defence against Chelsea on Tuesday night but the latter was sent off after just 26 minutes on the field.

Mustafi’s poor back-pass to Bernd Leno saw Tammy Abraham clear on goal for the Blues and Luiz thereafter mistimed his challenge on the striker in the box which contributed to his sending off.

Mustafi did produce a good second-half display alongside Granit Xhaka as the Gunners salvaged a point with 10 men but Keown has urged Arteta to recruit a new centre-back before the deadline approaches.

“We’re going to see how good a manager he is now because he’s got to go into the transfer market. We need a top centre-half to come to this football club, quickly,” he told BT Sport as relayed by The Express.

Luiz is expected to be suspended for three domestic games after his sending off at Stamford Bridge, and this leaves the club with just Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding as the fit and available centre-backs, considering Sokratis has not recovered from his illness.

Mustafi did make a number of key clearances (9) during the London derby on Tuesday night but the German continues to have the tendency to make the occasional blunder, which has cost the club dearly in terms of points.

In comparison, Luiz has been one of the club’s most improved players since the appointment of Arteta but the 32-year-old has still been culpable for conceding three penalties in the Premier League this term, which is more than any other player.