Tony Cascarino doubts whether Granit Xhaka will survive the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta plans an overhaul of his Arsenal squad.
It was only this week that Arteta spoke extensively about the need to add talent to the Arsenal team if he is to lead them to title challenges and trophies on a consistent basis.
Just days later, Xhaka committed a cardinal sin in the 1-1 draw against Burnley, clipping a poor pass across his own box and into Chris Wood's hip, with the ball bouncing into the gaping net as a result.
It was the latest in a long line of critical Xhaka errors, and while his recent performances have been much-improved illustrating his importance to the midfield since the turn of the year, the individual mistakes persist.
And former Millwall and Chelsea player Cascarino argues that Xhaka's place in the squad after the summer window is in jeopardy as a result.
"Granit Xhaka’s error for Burnley’s equaliser against Arsenal is one of the worst you will see this season," he wrote in The Times.
"Arsenal are trying to play out from the back but there is no way the midfielder, with three Burnley players bearing down on him, should be demanding the ball inside his own box.
"Mikel Arteta said before this game that the club need an ‘unprecedented’ level of transfer activity if they are to compete at the top of the league again.
"It is difficult to see Xhaka being a part of any long-term plans."
football.london understands that Arsenal have already made plans for the summer window.
Several players have been linked with exits, including the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.
Cascarino's comments follow Arteta's warning that spending will be required this summer as he continues to evolve and develop the squad.
"We will see," he said in his press conference last week when asked about potential summer deals. "We are planning what's going to happen in the summer.
"It will depend on where we finish, how we finish.
"I think what we had to in December is unprecedented for a club of this stature. To do the amount of transactions that we had to make it tells you as well where we are.
"I think it was very much needed and you want to improve, you want to do that. It's where you have things in the house and you believe that you can improve on it.
"Externally acquiring players to go to the next level. Everything is planned and let's see what the market can bring and what the last few months can bring to the club."
