Exclusive – Wilson: ‘Arsenal should go for Given’

 Arsenal goalkeeping legend Bob Wilson has told talkSPORT that Arsene Wenger should go all out to land Shay Given as he could be the missing piece in the Gunners’ jigsaw.

Wenger is on the lookout for a new number one and has had two bids rejected for Fulham stopper Mark Schwarzer this summer.

But Wilson believes Given, who has slipped behind Joe Hart in the pecking order at Manchester City, would be a much better buy for his former club and would boost Arsenal's bid for silverware.

Wilson told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast: "If I had the choice, I’d love to see Shay sign.

"If you can add Shay to Sebastien Squillaci, Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh plus the boys who are there... maybe that little misery Mourinho who doesn’t like Arsene very much and had a dig at him might have to admire Arsenal.

“Shay in the end will have say to himself ‘do I have to be number two to Joe Hart all the time?’ Players do have certain powers.

“If Arsene and Arsenal felt that it was Shay and not Mark Schwarzer, why not have a go for it?

“People talk about Joe’s presence in the early games of the season and it looks like he’s made his 18-yard box his stage. The great goalkeepers have a presence and belief and it’s a long time since I’ve seen a goalkeeper as alert as Joe.

“But Shay has this as well. I used to think height-wise in the modern game Shay was an inch or two under what you should be but he’s proved that wrong.”