Robert Pires sends Arsenal transfer plan to Mikel Arteta ahead of January window

Arsenal legend Robert Pires has given his views on what he thinks Mikel Arteta should prioritise in the January transfer window, as he eyes success for his former club.

Pires is one of the Arsenal greats, and won five trophies at the club during a six-year stint between 2000-2006, including the famous invincible season during the 2003/04 campaign.

The Gunners haven't won the league title since, and are far from the force that Arsene Wenger made them in the early noughties, but after an awful start to the season they have been in great form.

Following on from a busy summer window, Pires has given Arteta a transfer plan ahead of January.

Will Arsenal make the top four this season? Let us know in the comments section...

Arsenal were the Premier League's biggest spenders this summer as they splashed out £150million on an array of new talent, and after a period of settling in, they have really taken off in Arteta's side

Aaron Ramsdale is perhaps the standout performer despite negativity surrounding his £30m move, and Ben White has also been solid at the back alongside fellow new signing Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Six new signings arrived in the summer, with White and Ramsdale the only English arrivals, but Pires believes that Arteta should add to their growing English contingent at the club, starting strengthening their defence even more.

The Arsenal legend said: "It is difficult but in January if Arsenal can spend money maybe on a defender because I think our midfield and strikers are very good players.

"In my opinion sign English players because we need English players in this squad because when you play in the Premier League, you need a player like this.

"For example, in my time I played with Tony Adams, Lee Dixon and Martin Keown, Ashely Cole and this is the base for your team. They need to spend the money on a defender in my opinion, English."

Arsenal did spend £50m on White from Brighton, but Pires thinks that the Gunners needs more, and has urged Arteta to do so in January if the club want to achieve top four this season.

Pires said regarding top four: "I hope, I wish, because this is my club. I know for Mikel Arteta it's not easy but they need to, with Edu, rebuild the team.

"I know they spent a lot of money during the transfer window, so I believe always in this club. They need to fight. That is the most important thing until the end, but the players need to fight and keep the spirit until the end with Arteta."

Arsenal's 4-0 defeat to Liverpool was their first since August, and Arteta's side are still in touching distance of the top four for now.

Robert Pires was talking as he participated in the second episode of the second series of Hotels.com's Dream Island.

The series will showcase Hotels.com's role as the Official Travel Partner of the UEFA Champions League and will see presenter Craig Mitch grill UEFA legends on their ultimate holiday booking.

Fans will enjoy hearing about where the former players' dream get-away would be, what they never forget to take with them and who would make up their dream beach football team, as well as answering fans' travel questions along the way.

To watch Dream Island, visit Hotels.com Europe on YouTube: YouTube.com/hotelseu