Arsenal should sell Mesut Ozil and sign Jack Grealish or James Maddison from underneath Manchester United's noses this summer.
That's the advice from ex-Gunners striker Kevin Campbell, who says his former club desperately need the kind of midfielder that United are also trying to sign.
Villa captain Grealish has been widely tipped to join the Red Devils in the summer after an impressive season for the relegation-threatened Midlanders.
Maddison is also a target for United, although it is less clear whether he will leave Leicester City, who look set to qualify for next season's Champions League.
But Campbell says the Gunners should battle their Premier League rivals for at least one of the midfielders.
And the 50-year-old urged boss Mikel Arteta to replace Ozil, saying the former Germany international "is on the wrong side of his Arsenal career".
"Arsenal need an all-rounder in midfield," Campbell said in an interview with Metro.
"Arsenal need someone in the middle of the pitch who not only can create, he can break the play up, but he’s got legs - we miss that.
"We’ve been a strong spine for years. There was talk of should we go for Jack Grealish or James Maddison - these type of guys would improve Arsenal."
"No disrespect to Mesut Ozil, but Ozil is on the wrong side of his Arsenal career with a year left on his contract after this.
"But we need someone who’s going to be in there with legs, we need creativity, and someone that when the games not going particularly well, he can get stuck in and knuckle down as well."
Campbell, who made 228 appearances for Arsenal between 1988 and 1995, added: "We’re being shown up by the likes of Sheffield United.
"Chris Wilder has done a fantastic job there - they haven’t got the quality that Arsenal have but they’re above us in the league.
"Why? Because they’ve got a system and they fight, grab and battle, and they’ve got some quality there as well. If we can’t match these teams, we don’t deserve to be up there."
