Mikel Arteta can repeat Arsenal's Raheem Sterling transfer trick with Paul Pogba

Darren Bent believes Mikel Arteta should meet with Paul Pogba before Arsenal decides to sign the Juventus player.

Pogba, 31, is expected to become a free agent when an agreement to end his contract early is reached with the Italian club. The midfielder can start training again in January after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his four-year doping ban from last September to 18 months.

The former Manchester United midfielder will then be able to play again in March, a month when the Gunners visit Old Trafford. Pogba returning to the Premier League for the run-in could be a calculated, low-cost gamble and provide a timely boost to whichever team the World Cup winner joins early next year.

That side should be Arsenal, according to Bent. "I think Mikel Arteta has been quite good in terms of judging characters and bringing characters into the dressing room," the Gunners fan said on talkSPORT Drive.

"Of course, he'll sit down Pogba, and he'll be able to tell what kind of character is there and also how much hunger is left. If Pogba's looking for a last payday, Arteta will be able to suss that out and say: 'no'."

"But if he's still hungry, like Raheem Sterling, hungry," Bent added. "If you can integrate Paul Pogba, with the qualities that he's got, him coming off the bench, phwoar, wow, I'd take that, yeah."

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"He'll help us win games because that's what he can do," Bent continued. "You need strong squads." However, he later acknowledged that "a reason why maybe Arsenal won't bring Pogba in is because of [Ethan] Nwaneri.

"If you then bring a Paul Pogba in," Bent asked, "are you stifling him a little bit? I would then prefer Nwaneri to get his opportunity."