'It's a pity Arsenal did not sign Luis Suarez' - Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal should have signed Luis Suarez

Mikel Arteta thinks it was a ‘pity’ that Arsenal did not sign Liverpool striker Luis Suarez in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal had offered the Merseyside club £40million plus one pound for the Uruguayan striker but the Reds refused to sell and decided to keep their star player at Anfield

Arteta said, “People don’t know the real Luis. He’s a really good lad.”

Arteta used to be Suarez’s neighbour at Liverpool during his days as a player for Everton.

“I know Suarez really well. He used to live in the next house to me and, whenever I’ve met him, he’s always been really nice. It’s a pity Arsenal could not get Suarez.”

Arsenal play Liverpool on Saturday at the Emirates stadium in a late kick-off. The gunners are currently on top of the Premier League table and Liverpool are just two points behind. And Arteta is wary of the Liverpool strike force, nicknamed SAS (Suarez and Sturridge).

“Suarez and Daniel Sturridge are the two most in-form strikers in the league and will be a big threat to us. But we have the quality to beat them.”

When asked about Arsenal’s risky playing style, he said, “We’ve scored more goals than any other team this season playing this way and the manager likes his team to entertain.

“It’s the Arsenal philosophy and I really doubt the boss is going to change his mind about that.”