Ferdinand slams Arsenal for spending £42m on a player who ‘doesn’t even start’

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Arsenal for spending £42m on Riccardo Calafiori as “he doesn’t even start”.
The Gunners are currently six points behind leaders Liverpool after 23 matches with the Reds also possessing a game in hand on their rivals around them.
And it now looks like a tough task for overhaul Arne Slot’s men at the top of the table with Liverpool losing just one game all season.
Calafiori kept them in the Premier League title race over the weekend when his strike against Wolves secured all three points for Arsenal at Molineux.
There has been a lot of noise surrounding Arsenal’s need for a striker with Kai Havertz currently their only proper centre-forward option after Gabriel Jesus’ injury.
And Ferdinand has criticised Arsenal for spending a big fee on Calafiori – who has only started eight Premier League matches – and not on a striker in the summer.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “What are [Arsenal] going to do in this [January transfer] window?
“Everyone is talking about a striker. In the summer, they went and bought Riccardo Calafiori.
“£42m they spent on him and he doesn’t even start. If you’re going to spend that much, he should be going straight into the Arsenal team.
“Especially when there’s a big shout that they need a centre-forward and they’ve invested somewhere else.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hailed Calafiori for his goal against Wolves and the quality he has in his squad in important moments.
Arteta said: “[It was] like the goal against Man City! Riccy can produce these magic moments.
“He did today, again, it really helped the team so really glad that whoever comes in on the pitch, he has the experience to make things happen.”
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Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey reckons Arsenal’s attacking players will cost them the title as they need reinforcements before the transfer window shuts.
Heskey told Casino Scout: “Arsenal will find it difficult to catch Liverpool. They have had a few injuries and it’ll be tough for them; Kai Havertz has taken some flak for their performances of late as he’s missed a couple of very good chances and not scored a huge amount of goals.
“Have they got enough players that have been in that position to pull them out of this rut? I don’t think so, that’s the problem.
“When you watch the great teams from the past, they have had those characters that drive a team through these tough periods and get them over the line.”
Heskey said: “I think Arsenal must make an attacking signing this January. The funny thing with bringing a new player in is that it gives the whole squad a bit of a lift. Having that fresh face in the changing room and around training can push the team and get a little more out of them, as well as improving their squad.
“I know they have been linked to Alexander Isak, but I can’t see them getting a move done for him in this window. But, going forwards, it would be difficult for Isak not to have his head turned by Arsenal, they’re a huge club and lots of players want to be in London, it’s an interesting situation.”