This summer promises to be a huge one for Arsenal, who will be hoping to qualify for the UEFA Champions League to help fund a busy transfer window.
The Gunners spent more than any other Premier League side last summer, splashing in excess of £140million on six players all aged 23 or under.
Technical director Edu will likely be on the lookout for a top-class striker following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's departure to Barcelona, as well as a central midfielder considering Mikel Arteta's squad is short in the centre of the park.
Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips urged the north Londoners to make a move for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, claiming that he is exactly the type of player that Arteta would love to have at his disposal.
Speaking to Football Insider last week, Phillips said: “Ward-Prowse is the sort of player Arsenal need.
“Technically he is a very, very good player and he’s a dead-ball specialist. He’s the sort of player Arteta would love in his squad I imagine.”
The Saints would likely demand a huge fee for their star player, who is currently valued between €40million-€50million (£33million-£41.31million) by CIES Football Observatory.
Now, Manchester City hero Micah Richards has claimed that Ward-Prowse is the most underrated player in the Premier League whilst also comparing him to Manchester United and England legend David Beckham.
“Yes, he’s the most underrated player in the Premier League for years", Richards told Gary Neville on the LadBible YouTube channel.
"People say he doesn’t have mobility but not for me.
"He works hard, he’s always 7/10. He has a great right foot.
“You know what lets him down? Because he’s so good at free-kicks – like David Beckham – people forget about all the other stuff he’s good at.”
