Arsenal icon Nwankwo Kanu has claimed the Gunners made a mistake allowing the transfer of Alex Iwobi to Everton last month.
The two-time Premier League champion thinks his Nigeria compatriot is the type of player Unai Emery needs in his squad, with the winger having come through the youth ranks at Arsenal.
Kanu told Goal: "I would say they made a mistake, 100 per cent.
"Why they let him go, I don’t know. He’s a boy who, in and out, is Arsenal. He always wanted to do his best for the club. He loves the club, but not only that he can play football.
"What he brings week in, week out, the fans need to appreciate that.
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"I think he is still young and those are the type of people you want in the team, people who grew up here, who knows everything about the club and wants to die for the club.
"He was one of them, so for us to lose him and to let him go, was a shock. I couldn’t really believe we did it, but that’s football."
The 23-year-old completed a move to Goodison Park from the Emirates on transfer deadline day for a fee which could rise to £34million.
Kanu admitted: "It was a surprise to everybody because it happened right at the end of the window.
"If I knew earlier, I could have said to him not to go and that it was better for him to stay.
"I would have said that there was no need for him to go because at Arsenal he will still play. He’s that good and he needs to know that."
Iwobi has had an excellent start to his Everton career having scored two goals in three appearances.
The No.17 will likely be in action for Nigeria on Tuesday evening as they take on Ukraine at the Dnipro Arena.
