Arsenal urged to make two key transfer moves after famous Real Madrid victory

Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to use their superb Champions League performance against Real Madrid as a catalyst to help convince two key players to extend their contracts with the club.

Arsenal produced one of their great performances under Mikel Arteta as Gabriel Martinelli’s injury-time winner secured a famous 2-1 win at the Bernabeu and a 5-1 aggregate victory to knock out the defending champions.

As such, the Gunners have advanced to their first Champions League semi-final since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain for a spot in next month’s final.

While they have fallen away from contention in the Premier League, Arsenal now have a great chance to claim their first piece of silverware since 2020 after several near-misses under Arteta.

And while former Arsenal midfielder Parlour wants the Gunners to stay focused on the ultimate prize of European glory, the Romford Pele is also hopeful that the manner of Wednesday’s performance will benefit the club at the negotiating table.

Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, who have established themselves as vital cogs in Arteta’s side, both have just over two years left on their respective contracts at Arsenal.

Saliba, in particular, has been linked with a move to Real in the coming transfer windows, but Parlour is confident that Arsenal’s display against the Spanish giants will help convince both players that they can achieve everything in their careers with the north London club.

‘It’s all good getting to the semi-finals, but you don’t get anything for that. It’s all about getting through now to the final and winning trophies,’ Parlour told Metro via NetBet Sports Betting.

‘I’m sure that would convince Saliba to stay, but I hope that a performance like last night will also convince him that this is the right club for the next years of his career. He’s such an important player. Him and Gabriel have built up such a good partnership.

‘He’s a player you sign up for as long as you can. If he wants a five or six-year contract, give it to him for whatever money you can afford. He’s proven he’s a massive player, and he’s only going to get better because he’s still a young lad – people forget that.

‘So I’m praying he signs a new deal, but they also have to look at other players who have two years left on their deal. Saka is an example – they have to tie him down for longer because this team is still a work in progress. 

‘It’s not about one of two seasons, it’s about trying to do what Manchester City have done and be competitive every single season for five or six years in a row. That’s a hard task, but if you’ve got these key players committed with long contracts, that puts you on the right path.’

‘Giving Partey a new deal could be a gamble’

While Declan Rice rightly lapped up the plaudits on Wednesday, it was another understated yet impressive night for Thomas Partey in the middle of the park.

The Ghanaian has had his troubles with injury since his move to the Emirates, but has arguably been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers over the last few months.

Turning 32 in June, Partey is out of contract at the end of the season, but unlike Saka and Saliba, Parlour admits it could prove a risk to offer the midfielder a new deal.

‘He hasn’t been injured too much this season, but over the last few years he’s been injured quite a lot,’ Parlour added.

‘It’s a situation where it will be down to the player’s demands – does he want a three of or four-year deal which would be a bit of a gamble from Arsenal’s point of view because he’s not going to get any younger, and that injury record could come back to bite them.

‘But he’s been excellent in the midfield these last few months. He’s a very efficient player, just keeps it moving – nothing spectacular – but he’s such an important player.

‘He reminds me a bit of Gilberto Silva back in the day, especially in the Invincibles season when he played alongside Patrick [Vieira]. We called him the invisible wall because he was always in the right place at the right time, and I think Partey is quite similar.’

‘Arsenal have the blueprint to beat PSG’

Standing in the way of Arsenal’s first Champions League final since 2006 is PSG, who have lit up the tournament so far with their free-flowing, attacking football.

But Parlour is confident that Arsenal have more than enough to overcome Luis Enrique’s side if they are able to replicate the gameplan which saw them oust Real in the previous round.

‘It’s going to be a tough game, no doubt, but you saw in the second half of the Villa game that you can get at them,’ he said.

‘The ideal would have been to have played at the Emirates for the second leg, but it’s now just a similar scenario to what they’ve just been through with Real.

‘They’ve got to try and take a lead into that second leg in France, and then do what they did yesterday again. I thought the gameplan was spot on from Arsenal for an away match in Europe, and they will have to be very similar at PSG as well. 

‘They’ll get chances on the break again, and they’ll have to make sure, like last night, that they take them.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.