Walcott tells Arsenal they should have signed Chelsea star in the summer

Theo Walcott insists Arsenal should have signed Chelsea winger Pedro Neto in the summer transfer window after drawing 1-1 against the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli on 60 minutes but Neto’s long-range effort flew past David Raya on 70 minutes to earn Chelsea a share of the spoils.

Neto had scored in the Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup already this season but it was his first in the Premier League since joining from Wolves in the summer transfer window for £54m.

Mikel Arteta has been a fan of the Portugal international for years but decided not to attempt to sign the former Wolves man over his injury record.

But former Arsenal winger Walcott thinks Neto would have been perfect to provide competition for the other wingers in Arteta’s squad.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, Walcott said: “When we talk about Neto – he’s the sort of player who Arsenal maybe could have signed to have given that competition to others players.

“That’s kind of what they need right now, to provide that competition.”

Neto looked brilliant on the right against Arsenal and former Premier League striker Troy Deeney reckons he should start there from now on.

Deeney added: “When you put him out on the right-hand side, becaue he has that pace, Timber has to back off because he doesn’t know if he is going to run or cross it.

MORE PREMIER LEAGUE COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 16 Conclusions from Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Gunners crisis averted as Odegaard return restores hope
👉 Van Nistelrooy learns from Ten Hag mistakes to lean on Man Utd trio in superb Leicester win
👉 Nottingham Forest get ahead of themselves in hubristic defeat to Newcastle United

“If you’re a full-back, you’re thinking ‘he could kick it and run so I can’t get too close’, but if you get really close to him, he can drop his shoulder and run in behind.

“With how he is doing, coming in off the right onto that left foot; he can shoot, he can cross but also he has got that raw speed which is going to back defenders off and you can see just what an acquisition he’s been for Chelsea.”

After dropping down the Premier League table in recent weeks, Walcott reckons the international break has “come at a good time” for Arsenal.

Walcott continued: “They’ve had a period of time without their leader Martin Odegaard, they’ve played six of last season’s top ten and five of them have been away.

“They are now at at stage where they don’t want Liverpool to get too far away – that’s for certain – but they have their main players back. I know (Bukayo) Saka and Declan (Rice) limped off but they’ve got the international break now, I feel it’s come at a good time for them.”

Arsenal are now nine points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League title race and Deeney reckons they need to be perfect until the end of the season to win the league.

Deeney said: “I would say they are in a situation where every game is massively important.

“If they lose one more time I think they are out of it (the title race) because otherwise they are going to have to beat Liverpool away and (Manchester) City as well.”