Arsenal could sign new 'Patrick Vieira' after West Ham transfer update - pundit
Noel Whelan has suggested Arsenal could make a move to sign West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek if he is put up for sale this summer.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 27-year-old could be the Gunners' new Patrick Vieira in midfield.
As revealed by Football Insider on Thursday (26 May), West Ham are open to offers for Soucek this summer after contract talks stalled and a falling out with David Moyes.
The midfielder's current deal runs out in 2024, though the Irons hold the option of a one-year extension clause.
As detailed by this site in March 2021, West Ham were looking to tie Soucek down to new and improved terms amid interest from Manchester United.
Whelan suggested while the Red Devils' interest may have passed, Arsenal could launch a move to bolster their midfield.
Whelan told Football Insider's Russell Edge: "With Man United, that was when they had a different manager in place. Ten Hag might have different ideas.
"Van de Beek will obviously be going back next season, that might be his Soucek.
"Where would Soucek go? Would he fit into an Arsenal team, like a Xhaka out there? That's a possibility.
"He's got that kind of Patrick Vieira style about him, hasn't he? Soucek dominates midfields as he's good with his height. He breaks forward, gets into good areas in the box and he's got the energy to get up and down.
"That might be something that they look at as an improvement on what they've got in that midfield area."
Soucek has 86 Premier League games under his belt to date.
He played 51 times across all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign.