Mikel Arteta told to make Arsenal signing after getting advice on Bradley Barcola
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Theo Walcott says Morgan Rogers would be his top pick when it comes to who Arsenal should bring in this summer. The former Gunners forward has reservations about how well another transfer target, £112million-rated Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain , would settle into the Premier League if signed, despite his clear quality.
Mikel Arteta is understood to have made signing a left winger his priority ahead of the 2026/27 season, as the north Londoners look to retain their Premier League title and go one step further in the Champions League .
Arteta's former team-mate Walcott, when asked which winger he'd most want Arsenal to bring in, had no hesitation in naming Aston Villa's Rogers. The England international is reportedly eager for a move to the Emirates Stadium , with Arsenal and Villa set to hold talks over a potential transfer fee.
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Walcott said: "I like the idea that we'll go for someone who's tried and tested in the Premier League. So I like Morgan Rogers. Is he a left winger? Is he a 10? Will that affect Eze? Either way, Mikel's a great person to integrate him into the team if he comes.
"And I like players that are in the Premier League then go to a Premier League team, because we know what we're going to get and he's going to get better because he's going to be with better players. No offence to Villa, but he would be if he ends up moving on. And it's an opportunity to be with the champions, so that in itself is a factor."
He continued: "I'd probably be more inclined to go for Rogers if I was going to pick one. If you had to tie me down, I'd pick Rogers."
That was after Walcott addressed other left-sided options linked with Arsenal, including Barcola. The Gunners have a real interest in the Frenchman, though they are unlikely to match the £112m fee some reports claim PSG could demand.
The 37-year-old said: "Barcola at PSG, I mean he's outstandingly quick. He would give Gabriel Martinelli a run for his money. So I like him, but then there's always that factor of can he do the Prem, and the patience element-can you have the patience with these guys? I would have patience with them, it's just on the outside, will people have patience?
"Yes, he's a PSG winger, people would expect he's going to be great, it's like when Angel Di Maria went to Man United. Yes, there were pockets and moments, but it's just having that time. You don't get that time anymore, not even as a manager, although Barcola would be good.
"I like young [Eli Junior] Kroupi at Bournemouth too. I think he'd be an interesting one to keep an eye on. And I've always liked [Crysencio] Summerville as well, and I know he's had a really good World Cup. I just love the fact he expresses himself. He reminds me of that little kind of Eden Hazard type or maybe like Raheem Sterling , off the left. But I wouldn't be against any of them [being signed]."
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Walcott was speaking from the launch of Amazon Prime Day , running this week until Friday, June 26. The event is giving Prime members the opportunity to browse hundreds of thousands of deals across every category, with huge discounts on top brands including Samsung, Dyson, Oura, Lily's Kitchen and OATLY.
To mark the occasion, Amazon invited Walcott to surprise Prime members with some of the first Prime Day deliveries, joining drivers across London to drop off packages to unsuspecting customers.
The former England international said of his own Amazon Prime Day shopping basket: "I have a guard dog and he goes through constant treats because of all the training, so that's one thing I will be looking out for. However, there's another thing I actually will be looking out for. We have these drinks called Dash, it's like a sparkling flavoured drink can, and they are pretty much any flavour under the sun.
"So we're going to get a shedload of those. I tell you what, those fridges are going to be filled out, especially in this heat. They're lovely. In fact, there's actually some in my basket already. Ready, ready, waiting to go!"