Arsenal legend slams Arsene Wenger for taking this deadline day transfer decision

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has slammed manager Arsene Wenger for offloading Olivier Giroud instead of France international striker Alexandre Lacazette on winter transfer deadline day.

Mass winter exodus

Arsenal lost a couple of top players this winter transfer window, with Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez, England international Theo Walcott and Frenchman Francis Coquelin joining Olivier Giroud out of the Emirates exit door.

Coming in were Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan in what seems overall like a good business by the gunners, but Merson feels Arsene Wenger got one huge decision wrong.

Wenger should have sold Lacazette

Discussing on Sky Sports, the former Gunner made the claim that his former club should have sold summer signing Alexander Lacazette instead.

The France international forward hasn’t been at the top of his game since his summer switch from French Ligue 1 side Lyon, and Merson already believes it would have been worth selling him to keep hold of Olivier Giroud.

The Premier League Champions have signed the experienced striker they wanted by landing Giroud from Arsenal on the last day of the winter transfer window, and Merson feels the French tactician has lost a vital ‘Plan B’ player in permitting the 31-year-old to join Chelsea.

Alex Lacazette has scored just one goal in his last 12 matches, while Olivier Giroud became known as a big impact player off the substitute bench.