Arsenal ‘have wasted £95m’ and should’ve signed star Mikel Arteta took cheeky dig at

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been told that he has made a mistake with two of his summer signings.

Arsenal have been told they have wasted £95million on two new signings this summer. Former Gunners winger Jermaine Pennant claims Mikel Arteta should have splashed out big money on a new striker such as Dusan Vlahovic instead.

Arsenal have spent over £210m on four new players this summer. David Raya is the latest through the doors at the Emirates, joining on an initial loan deal from Brentford.

Arsenal have paid the Bees £3m and will cough up an extra £27m if they take up their option to buy the Spaniard at the end of the season. The first player Arteta signed in June was Kai Havertz, arriving fromChelsea for a fee of up to £65m.

But Pennant has questioned the need of both Havertz and Raya. He instead believes those funds should have been put into signing a forward and has suggested Juventus star Vlahovic as the ideal candidate.

Pennant told bettingsites.co.uk: “Bringing in a new striker for Arsenal 100 per cent has to be the priority. Spending £65m on Kai Havertz and what could be up to £30m for David Raya, that’s almost £100m…

“Arsenal could have signed a top-class striker for that money instead, who will get them 20-plus goals a season, which they need. If Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are not getting those numbers like they did last season then the goals may be few and far between, which is why they need an out-and-out striker.

“Arsenal were linked with Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus in the past and I think he would be a great addition for the club – he can also bring something different with his hold-up play, he’s strong in the air, and a good striker. He would be a great signing and appears to be available, so Arsenal should have used their money to sign someone like that.

“Arsenal have got depth in the defence and midfield areas after their summer signings. The icing on the cake for Arsenal would now be to bring in a new striker.”

Arsenal were interested in signing Vlahovic in January 2022. However, he instead chose to join Juventus from Fiorentina.

Arteta took a thinly-veiled dig at the Serbian shortly after the window shut following claims from the striker that it was “easy” to turn the Gunners down for Juve.

Arteta said: “Everybody wants to play for Arsenal.

“I haven’t had one time a phone call from a player, or member of staff, or someone in recruitment saying they don’t want to join Arsenal. That’s for sure.

“Then, if they go for financial reasons that’s something else in their mind. But their willingness to come and be part of this… I haven’t experienced something different and we are really glad.”