Martin Keown has urged Arsenal's new manager to sign Manchester United reject Chris Smalling to strengthen the defence.
The Gunners have begun their search for Unai Emery's replacement after the Spaniard was sacked on Friday following Arsenal's worst run of results in 27 years.
One of the first tasks for potential contenders such as Brendan Rodgers, Mikel Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti will be to shore up a leaky defence, with Arsenal having conceded 19 goals in the Premier League this season - one more than they have scored.
And legendary former Gunners defender Keown says United centre-half Smalling would be a bargain at an expected £13million.
Smalling is currently on a season-long loan at Roma, and is playing some of the best football of his career, having started nine Serie A games so far for Paulo Fonseca’s side.
United are believed to have had talks with Roma over the Serie A club signing Smalling on a permanent deal, with the 30-year-old deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
Now Keown has urged Arsenal to hijack any deal and bring Smalling to the Emirates.
“Smalling is doing exceptionally well - £13 million, the price they are putting on his head, that’s not enough," Keown said on BT Sport.
"Arsenal could maybe do worse than to take him."
Smalling was recently asked if he missed United, and the 29-year-old told Football Italia : "I do because I was there for so many years and I was used to be being part of the furniture there.
“But I am enjoying my new chapter, and hopefully I can keep affecting performances on the pitch and we can have a successful season. But right now I’m really enjoying being in Italy."
