Arsenal Transfer News: Zlatan Ibrahimovic Deal Urged by Rio Ferdinand

Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be the perfect signing for Arsenal in the summer as he would bring a winning mentality to the club that is currently lacking, according to Rio Ferdinand.

The former Manchester United centre-back said on BT Sport, after Ibrahimovic masterminded Paris Saint-Germain's 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory over Chelsea on Wednesday, that English clubs should be looking to snap him up when his contract with the French club expires in the summer, via MailOnline's James Dutton:

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He showed tonight that even at 34, as a free transfer English clubs should be looking at this guy to come over here and be the catalyst to winning things because that’s what he does—he wins things.

This game was decided by clinical top-level play and he was at the centre of that both times, one with an assist and one with a goal which basically ended the tie.

What he’d bring to Arsenal is a mentality, what they’re lacking to win. To get over the line and win titles. He’s done that more than anyone.

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Ibrahimovic remains one of the best players in Europe and has netted 23 goals and provided 10 assists in Ligue 1 this season as PSG have opened up a 23-point gap at the top of the table, per WhoScored.com.

For that reason alone he would be a brilliant signing for Arsenal as they remain without a world-class striker, with both Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott only able to impress in bursts.

However, Ibrahimovic would also bring winning experience after claiming league titles at five different clubs in four different countries during his storied career. 

Arsenal have not won the Premier League for 12 years, a period in which Ibrahimovic has won eight league titles, and that excludes the two stripped from Juventus because of the Calciopoli scandal.

A recurring criticism of Arsene Wenger's squad is that it lacks the leadership it used to have with the likes of Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams—an issue that arose again after their recent 3-2 loss to Manchester United, per Sky Sports' Jefferson Lake. 

The signing of Ibrahimovic would go a long way to solving that problem as he has a history of stepping up in big games and inspiring his teams to victories.

He set up PSG's first and scored the second at Stamford Bridge as PSG advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth year running on Wednesday, per BT Sport Football:

As a result, he was voted player of the week in the Champions League by Bleacher Report's Dean Jones:

Ibrahimovic would certainly add some much-needed steel to the Arsenal squad and would inspire those around him.

The Gunners are still just about in this season's title race, but they are now eight points back from leaders Leicester City.

They have won only two of their last nine matches in the English top flight, an unacceptable return at this stage of the season for a team with supposed title ambitions.

It is not difficult to imagine that, with Ibrahimovic in the side, that recent record would be much improved.

And if he is available for free in the summer—which is looking likely as he has yet to sign a new deal with PSG—Arsenal should go all out to sign him.