Darren Bent believes Arsenal should make a move to sign Brentford’s Rico Henry this summer.
Henry, 24, enjoyed a strong first campaign in the Premier League last season, making 34 appearances for the Bees as they cruised to safety.
The Gunners are reportedly looking to bring in a left-back to help cover Kieran Tierney and have been linked with the likes of Bologna’s Aaron Hickey.
However, Bent – the former Tottenham striker – believes Henry is good enough to play for a big club and has urged Arsenal to turn their attentions to the Brentford man.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: ‘Look at, say, Rico Henry. Fantastic left-back, even him. He could push Kieran Tierney.
‘I love Tierney but if he can’t stay fit and Rico Henry, every time he plays for Arsenal, he’s seven out of ten. He’ll eventually become the number one there.’
Henry has been at Brentford for six years and played a huge part in the club’s promotion to the top-flight, making the Championship’s Team of the Year in 2021.
It is unknown if Arsenal are looking at the Englishman or, if indeed, he is available as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his defensive options this summer.
First-choice Tierney missed large parts of last season due to injury and his understudy Nuno Tavares failed to provide adequate cover.
The Portuguese star was hooked at half-time during a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, with reports suggesting Arteta is still unconvinced by the 22-year-old.
With Arsenal also targeting a new striker, central-midfielder and centre-half, the north Londoners will have to juggle their finances to afford a left-back.
Speaking in recent weeks, Arteta revealed the club will only have ‘certain resources’ to spend in the transfer market.
He said, via the Mirror: ‘We are going to have certain resources, not unlimited resources, some resources. And with our resources, we have to play and do what we have to do in the best possible way.’
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