Martin Keown believes that Arsenal need to sign one of Europe’s top midfielders in order to compete again next season.

• Arsenal suffering without injured Santi
• Keown reckons Gunners need to sign Santi replacement over summer
• Believes Granit Xhaka has no fear factor

In his recent column for the Daily Mail, Keown pointed out what most of us have been saying for months, if not longer: Arsenal are a shambles without Santi Cazorla.

“On the pitch, they need to sign one of Europe’s best midfield players,” the ex-Gunner wrote.

“Granit Xhaka is improving but he is not putting fear into the Premier League’s top teams.

“Arsenal need a player who can dictate the play. They have felt the loss of Santi Cazorla greatly and it has massively affected the group.”

The Gunners don’t have any other player that can dictate play, move the ball and create space the way that Santi can.

There’s a reason why most of the midfield maestro’s teammates name him as the most talented players they’ve featured alongside.

After his ankle problems flared up back in October against Ludogorets, leading to more than one surgery and the Spaniard being ruled out for the rest of the season, Arsenal went noticeably down hill, and while Arsene Wenger’s side’s problems can’t all be put down to Santi being absent, a lot of them can.

What’s more is that even when Santi is fit, he’s 32. How much longer does he really have at the club?

This is why Keown, quite correctly, believes that signing a top quality midfielder is imperative.