Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has claimed that Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini would be a "dream" signing for the Gunners.
The North London club's defence was by some distance the worst of the Premier League's top six last season, their 51 goals conceded nearly double that of champions Manchester City.
Although Arsenal have signed centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos and right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner this summer, Parlour is adamant that more steel is needed to bolster the team's backline.
Chiellini recently renewed his Juve contract and is now tied to the Turin club until 2020, with Parlour merely naming the 33-year-old Italy defender as a hypothetical ideal recruit for Arsenal despite his age.
"Arsenal badly needed to improve their defence following last season and Emery has clearly made that a priority this summer," Parlour told bwin.
"I think Sokratis is a good signing and he will be a no-nonsense, traditional defender in the mould of Tony Adams rather than someone who wants to play out from the back. Sokratis is very experienced and he's a big game player with great leadership qualities.
"I think Arsenal still need to improve their defence, though, even after signing Sokratis and Lichtsteiner. They left themselves open far too often last season and it was their away form that cost them.
"The club needs an old school leader who will put their body on the line and demand the best from his teammates. Chiellini would be the dream defender, though he's getting on a bit."
Chiellini featured 26 times in the Bianconeri's latest Serie A title success last term, taking his total appearance tally to 472 since his 2005 move from Fiorentina.
Giuseppe Labellarte
