Ian Wright has said that Arsenal should have tried to sign Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk and former Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.

The Gunners’ former all-time leading scorer believes Arsenal have made a mistake in the traasfer market by overlooking the two talented Premier League stars.

Van Dijk is certainly one of the flavours of the summer, with every pundit associated with Arsenal or otherwise identifying him as an obvious signing to strengthen the backline. Matic, meanwhile, has a good reputation after his success at Chelsea.

“We haven’t signed the players that people are constantly talking about that was going to lead Arsenal,” Wright said, reports the Daily Star. “At some stage during the season they are going to need those players and that is where the test is going to come.

“Now we’ve got Leicester, Stoke, Liverpool to start (the season). The pre-season hasn’t gone fantastically. I would have definitely tried to get Van Dijk, I’d be going in very strong.

“To see that Matic has left Chelsea and gone to Manchester, can you try and persuade him to stay in London? He’s in London, he’s settled, can you get him to come to Arsenal? Because that is what Arsenal need, that player.

“I’m not sure how it’s going to go once the season starts, has he (Wenger) got something else up his sleeve?”

Wright doesn’t seem to consider any of the circumstances that might have prevented Arsenal from signing those players. It’s been reported that van Dijk only wants to join Liverpool, and that Southampton are being very obstinate about selling him.

If he’s to move clubs, it’ll almost certainly be for a mega fee. Matic, meanwhile, was keen to reunite with Jose Mourinho, the manager who bought him back to England in the first place.

From the outside looking in, it seems like Arsenal can sign anyone, but it’s not always the club’s fault if they don’t sign the so-called popular players.